Ranking the Houston Rockets' top 10 trade assets

9. 1st round pick swap with Nets in 2025

The Rockets are looking to improve, but the Nets' future is less certain. They gave up multiple draft picks to acquire James Harden from the Rockets to form a “Big 3” with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, but none of those superstars are still in Brooklyn. The Nets sent Harden to Philly at the 2022 trade deadline before dealing KD and Kyrie at this year's deadline. 

Brooklyn got a lot of talented role players and draft picks in return, but they do not control their own draft choices. The Nets have zero incentive to tank, and they hung on to the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference over the final two months without Durant and Irving.

Mikal Bridges is breaking out, and the Nets have players capable of supporting him. Expect them to try to contend next season, but they need Bridges to take another step to do that.

Can Bridges become a superstar? If not, Brooklyn’s ceiling is making the playoffs and being knocked out in the first round. 

If that happens, will it push the Nets to rebuild before 2025? This could be one of the top picks in the draft or just a mid-first-round selection.

That unknown adds a bit of value to this pick with the potential for it to skyrocket if the Nets decide to rebuild.