Prominent NBA insider throws cold water on Rockets blockbuster trade talks

The trade talk surrounding the Houston Rockets can feel relentless.

Why wouldn't it? Houston is a sizeable market. At 15-7, the Rockets are an ascendent team. They also have one of the better collections of assets in the NBA.

Naturally, some fans are clamoring for a consolidation deal. They want the Rockets to bring in an established star player.

They shouldn't count on that happening any time soon.

NBA insider says Rockets will keep core

At least, if you're willing to invest in Tim MacMahon's word.

You should be. MacMahon is a bonafide insider. He has connections around the league. If he speaks, fans should listen.

Moreover, the Rockets are 15-7. The young player most frequently linked to trade rumors is Jalen Green. He has largely underperformed in 2024-25, but Green has been showing signs of life of late. More importantly, the poison pill provision in his new contract would make it exceedingly difficult to move him this year.

Cam Whitmore feels like an obvious trade candidate as well. He's been plying his trade in the G-League for most of this season. Whitmore is a flawed player, but he's clearly an NBA-level talent. The Rockets don't seem especially invested in his development.

Reed Sheppard's rookie year has been a mixed bag. He often appears tentative. Sheppard's potential remains tantalizing, but it will be interesting to see if he realizes it in Houston.

Otherwise, the Rockets should mostly be pleased with how their young players are performing. They don't need to make a blockbuster move in 2024-25.

Right?

Rockets should (probably) stay the course

This is not an exact science.

The Rockets should keep their options open. Trading Green would be difficult, but it would not be impossible heading into the deadline.

There's been a lot of buzz around De'Aaron Fox lately. He's a native Houstonian, and his status with the Kings appears to be in question. If the Rockets think he could elevate this team, they may want to make overtures before he ends up being moved somewhere else.

That said, there will be other De'Aaron Fox's. If he slips out of the Rockets' hands, that's fine. This group is playing fantastic basketball. If Green can find some consistency, it may be optimal to hang onto him heading into 2025-26.

In short, the Rockets' future remains unclear. This team has a myriad of options, and they'll explore them. It could be that they've already found their core group moving forward. It could also be that they'll make a massive consolidation trade in time.

Just don't expect it to happen before this year's trade deadline.