2 Trade deadline moves that would boost Rockets, 3 they must avoid

Avoid: Moving the Nets' 2024 first-round pick unless landing a star

The Brooklyn Nets are fading fast. They've lost 10 of their last 12 games and would currently not make the play-in tournament, if it started today.

This should've been expected after they traded Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to the Western Conference. The problem is that they don't own their draft pick, as the pick sent to the Houston Rockets in the 2021 trade that saw James Harden get dealt from the Rockets to the Nets.

Fast forward three years later and the pick is expected to fall in the top ten. Which would be great in most years, but not this year, as the 2024 draft class doesn't possess a Victor Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson type of prospect.

In spite of that, the Rockets must avoid dealing the pick simply for the sake of getting rid of it, as the possibility always exists to trade the pick for a pick in the later years. If the Rockets do decide to move a potential lottery pick from the Nets, they should be selective and ensure they're getting a potential star in return.