Houston Rockets: Evaluating 5 theoretical trades for the 2021 season

Following a disappointing second-round exit, the Houston Rockets may be looking to make some roster changes to go along with a change in coaching.

The Houston Rockets are currently in a tricky situation as it pertains to the future of the team. Perhaps never in the James Harden era have there been so many questions to answer regarding where the team goes from the end of the season.

With the Russell Westbrook trade before the 2019-20 season, the Rockets made a pretty hefty commitment, as Russ will be making a considerable percentage of the team’s salary for the next few years. The Rockets also found themselves low on first-round draft picks following the trade, making things even more complicated.

With Mike D’Antoni’s decision not to return to the team for the 2020-21 season, it’s unclear what Houston’s goals moving forward are. In the D’Antoni era, the name of the game was mainly acquiring 3-and-D players to surround Harden and another All-Star-caliber player.

Now that Mike isn’t returning, the Rockets must decide between continuing with their small-ball style of play under a new head coach or taking a step back into a more traditional style of play.

Obviously, whoever is selected as the next head coach will play a key role in determining this. For now, let’s take a look at some potential trades we could see the Rockets explore and determine how realistic they are and whether or not they would be smart moves.

*Note that any of these trades could be sweetened with draft picks, though they will not be presented with such. If this is the case, their realism pertaining to the opposing team’s perception likely increases.

Next: Trade No. 1