Rockets could revive their championship dreams with one blockbuster mock trade

I've graded a lot of Houston Rockets trade proposals in this section. Typically, the marks are low. A blockbuster proposal that sends Jalen Brunson to the Rockets is about to be an exception.

That said, I grade from a Rockets perspective. This is a Rockets site. It doesn't matter if another team is getting fleeced. If the trade benefits the Rockets, it benefits SpaceCityScoop.

Keep that in mind.

Rockets land star point guard in shocking proposal

Let's hammer out the details of this bold proposal from Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey.

It should be noted that Fred VanVleet has an implied no-trade clause. For the uninformed (note: I had to look this up), an "implied" clause is functionally the same as any no-trade clause. It's only different in that it's guaranteed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) rather than the contract. So, he has a no-trade clause that he'd be unlikely to waive here.

Forget that. Let's live in a fantasy world where this is viable. If it were on the table, the Rockets would need to take it and run.

In 2024-25, Brunson averaged 26.0 points and 7.3 assists per game. He had a strong 3.3 Box Plus/Minus (BPM), although it should be said that his 5.8 mark in 2023-24 is indicative of superstardom.

Brunson is one of the best point guards in the NBA. A core group of him, Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson would put the Rockets in an outstanding position to win the 2025-26 NBA championship.

Sure, they'd be giving up on Sheppard and parting with two picks. You've got to give to get. That's a perfectly reasonable price to pay for one of the best point guards in the league. The Rockets would still have a great collection of young players and picks.

Is this too good to be true?

Blockbuster proposal is unlikely to come to fruition

OK, back to reality.

The Knicks are taking two steps forward here, but they're also taking a step backward. If they're acquiring Antetokounmpo, they surely want to pair him with Brunson. They don't have the assets to make that happen, which is precisely what makes Antetokounmpo-to-New York unlikely.

Sure, they'd be a better team. Are they so much better that it's worth the systemic shock of losing Brunson? This isn't typically how NBA teams operate. The Knicks could be an exception, but it would be a bold decision.

It also doesn't feel like the Bucks are getting enough here. Perhaps this becomes feasible if Antetokounmpo demands a trade, and his list of preferred destinations is one team long: The Knicks. If the Bucks are shopping him in a competitive market, they'll get more than this.

So, the proposal is imperfect. Still, from the Rockets' point of view, it's a work of perfection:

That's all this page is worried about.

Grade: A