3 Trade targets (mis)identified for Houston Rockets in new piece

The Houston Rockets cannot escape trade rumors.

They're an obvious candidate to make a move. That's what happens when a young team is successful. Consolidation feels inevitable, so, the Rockets are frequently rumored to be consolidating.

That doesn't explain why Bleacher Report just named three trade targets for the Rockets. In a recent article, they did so for every team.

Did they find the right targets for Houston?

Rockets should pass on at least two of these three targets

According to Bleacher Report, the Rockets should be looking at Damian Lillard, Marcus Smart, and Trae Young. Let's break down each case individually.

Lillard does not make any sense. He's aging out of his prime. There is no world where he elevates the Rockets into the title picture in whatever is left of his (near) peak productive years. Any asset that the Rockets gave up for Lillard would be one asset too many.

Smart is an interesting suggestion. He'd certainly be less costly than the other targets on this list. There's some logic in reuniting him with Ime Udoka and continuing to lean into the Rockets' defensive identity.

On the other hand, the Rockets are perhaps the worst shooting team in the NBA with playoff aspirations. Smart is shooting 20.0% on 3.8 three-point attempts per game in 2024-25. If you're new to basketball: that's really bad.

The Rockets should certainly pass on Lillard. They should probably skip on Smart.

What about Trae Young?

Rockets could consider move for Trae Young

Ultimately, it's still likely a pass. Still, it's a much softer one.

Before, I'd argued that Young couldn't co-exist with Sengun. The Rockets couldn't sustain their elite defense with a liability at the 5 and at the point of attack.

That calculus has changed. Sengun has made strides on the defensive end of the floor. If the Rockets acquired Young, he'd be the only liability in their starting lineup.

He's not an especially snug fit next to Jalen Green. That's a moot point. Green is playing so poorly in 2024-25 that it's rational to plan for the Rockets' future without him in mind. Generally speaking, Young is a dynamic playmaker who would almost certainly make the Rockets a better team.

Still, after some soul-searching, it feels like the Rockets should pass on Young as well. This team is thriving with its defensive intensity and continuity. Young feels like a chemistry disrupter. He'll take the ball out of Sengun's hands and stunt the development of Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard, assuming neither is involved in a deal for him.

Put differently, he's not the guy to consolidate for.