Rockets linked to one star guard they desperately need to avoid

The Houston Rockets have been linked to a lot of star players in trade rumors. Since Fred VanVleet's injury, most of those star players are point guards. That's fine, but Trae Young would be the wrong target.

It's not the first time the subject has come up in these pages. There's a vocal minority that seems to want Young in Houston badly. They think Young would solve many of Houston's problems.

They're wrong, but it's understandable.

Rockets linked to star guard again

Bleacher Report just named Young as one ambitious trade target for the Rockets in 2025-26

Young's talent is unimpeachable. In 2024-25, he averaged 24.2 points and 11.6 assists per game. That type of absurd statistical production has come to typify his career. Young is nothing if not productive.

Moreover, the Rockets do need playmaking. Young provides a metric ton of it. It's worth noting that his assists per game have risen during every year of his career.

Young is a star. The Rockets have enough assets to acquire him and still have some left over. You may be thinking, "What exactly is the problem here?"

Well...

Rockets must not abandon their principles for Young

Here's a related question: If Young is so impactful, why have the Hawks had minimal success?

Perhaps that's not entirely fair. One could question whether the Hawks have done enough to help Young. That said, anyone watching Atlanta would understand why the team has been forced to invest in an excess of defensive wings:

Young is a massive liability on that end of the floor.

One could also argue that the Rockets already have the prerequisite defensive wings. They're ready-made to inoculate Young. That's fair:

But it doesn't feel like the type of team the Rockets have been building towards.

The Rockets want defense at every position. Philosophically, this team wants to be a top-5 defensive unit. They don't want to put their efforts towards protecting someone who's going to struggle in any scheme.

That's not the only reason to avoid Young, either.

Young isn't the right offensive fit for the Rockets

Young can play with Kevin Durant. That's irrelevant: Everyone can play with Kevin Durant.

He could play with Amen Thompson, although it wouldn't bode well for Thompson's on-ball usage. Adding such a ball-dominant guard could relegate Thompson to permanent cutting / rolling duties.

That said, it's his fit with Alperen Sengun that's most questionable. Yes, Sengun can play pick-and-roll, but he's not a lob threat. Moreover, the Rockets would be wasting his talents to take the ball out of his hands.

As 2025-26 wears on, it may become clear that the Rockets need a point guard. This team may need to make a trade:

But Young is simply not the right target.