Ranking the Houston Rockets' top 10 trade assets

8. 1st-round pick swap with Nets in 2027

Mikal Bridges becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2026, and the Nets have just two players on their roster with contracts extending beyond 2025. There is no way to know what things will look like in 2027. Will Brooklyn be at the top of the draft? Who knows. 

Acquiring a pick swap can be advantageous. First, it improves the odds of landing a high lottery selection. Now, if either the Rockets or Nets jump up in the lottery, the team acquiring this could make the swap.

Second, it allows a rebuilding team to keep its own pick in play. If the franchise continues to struggle, they can just keep their own choice and select high in the draft. 

The Brooklyn Nets are likely to be struggling by 2027. Nic Claxton, Cam Thomas, and Day’Ron Sharpe on the only players on their current roster that would be under 30 years old in four years. Bridges would still be in his prime, but the Nets will need a massive overhaul to keep a competitive team around him. 

There is no guarantee that the Houston Rockets are going to be in the playoffs in 2027 either. Some team could grab a crucial pick swap this offseason that helps them select high in the draft in four years, if the Rockets shop this option.