Jaylen Brown trade saved the Rockets from making vital Kevin Durant mistake

The Rockets were as shocked as anyone else to see the news of Jaylen Brown being traded to the 76ers, especially after numerous reports that the Rockets themselves were interested in him. But Houston may be counting their lucky stars that they didn't pull the trigger on a colossal mistake to obtain Brown, which could have cost them two All-Stars in Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun. That would've been a massive price to pay, even with other minor assets coming back to the Rockets, and left Houston in an awkward position going forward.

The Rockets were smart not to give up too much for Brown

Although the Rockets have had their own offseason issues of not being aggressive enough, this trade rumor would have been a disaster in the opposite direction. Giving up their best player and arguably their best prospect as well in a trade for Brown could have set the Rockets up for years of mediocrity. Brown is a great player coming off a career-best season, but there's also a reason he ended up being traded for such an underwhelming return rather than two All-Star talents.

The Rockets front office has been very diligent in their offseason moves so far to avoid giving up too much, either in terms of trade assets or contract payouts. It's honestly a surprise to even see them linked to such a bold trade proposal. But fortunately cooler heads prevailed and the trade never went through.

If the Rockets had shifted towards Brown as their centerpiece without both Durant and Sengun, they would have been caught between trying to contend now with Brown in his prime and rebuilding with picks obtained from the three-team deal. That's often a recipe for failure that can make decisions extremely difficult for a front office and coaching staff.

Houston should still try to add some star talent

That doesn't mean adding Brown in general would have been a bad idea. Again, he's coming off a season where he nearly made First Team All-NBA and finished third in total regular season points. But he's still best served as a co-star for a team with real championship ambitions. Pairing him with Durant would have been the ideal outcome that could have let both shine, especially with a solid point guard setting the table.

Instead, Brown is now off the trade market and the Rockets must search elsewhere if they hope to add another star alongside KD. With Durant entering the twilight of his career, the Rockets are faced with a daunting decision between committing assets towards building a proper contender around him or trading him while he still has good value. If they want to keep him, they really should find a way to add more top talent rather than letting him waste away again on a roster that's not ready to make a deep playoff run.

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