5 Trades the Houston Rockets can make to flip Victor Oladipo

4. Rockets get Alec Burks from the Pistons

Houston added Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks to round out their starting five this summer, but their bench unit is questionable. Rookie Amen Thompson figures to be their sixth man with Reggie Bullock, Jeff Green, Tari Eason, and Cam Whitmore rounding out their top ten. The Rockets would be relying on two rookies to do the ball-handling and playmaking in their second unit.

Thompson was the fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft, so they want him to play. Still, the Rockets would love to take some pressure off him by adding someone who can create offense. The Pistons figure to be back in the lottery next summer, and Burks could fill a role in Houston.

Detroit’s new head coach Monty Williams has more backcourt options than he can play, and it would be wise for the rebuilding Pistons to let their young talent play. Burks is 32 and entering his 13th year in the NBA.

Last season, he averaged 12.8 points, 2.2 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in 22.0 minutes per game. Burks is comfortable starting or coming off the bench and would give the Houston Rockets the secondary playmaker they desire in their second unit.

Alec Burks is a below-average defender, and the Houston Rockets struggled mightily on that end of the floor last season. New head coach Ime Udoka will help, but does the front office try to acquire more talent for him to work with over someone like Burks?