Rockets must consider this tantalizing Mavericks trade- and it's not Kyrie Irving

The Houston Rockets have been linked to the Mavericks' Kyrie Irving. They ought to be looking at Dante Exum instead.

Some will argue that they don't need to be looking at any Mavericks. There will always be a subset of NBA fans who loathe trade speculation.

Around here, they're known as the fun police.

Who doesn't love looking at their favorite team's roster and imagining how it could improve? Yes, blockbuster trade proposals that leave your team berift of assets can be annoying:

Rest assured, that's not what's happening here.

Rockets can afford reunion with Exum

Realistically, we're looking at Jeff Green and a second-round pick or two for Exum's services.

The Mavericks won't be able to negotiate based on Exum's play this year - he hasn't suited up yet. That ought to hurt his trade value. It's not Exum's first time on the injury list, and it's unlikely to be his last.

That's fine for the Rockets. They've been sitting pretty at 7-3. Assuming that their strong play continues, they can afford to wait until Green is trade-eligible on December 15. They can even wait until Exum is fully healthy.

What can they expect from him when that does happen?

Rockets' reunion with Exum could be sweet

In 2024-25, Exum averaged 8.7 points per game while shooting 43.7% from deep. Granted, that was only during a 20-game sample size. Exum got injured.

He got injured the year before, too. Exum played 55 games for the Mavs in 2023-24. It's been an ongoing problem for the former lottery pick, and frankly, there's no reason to assume that would change in Houston.

Yet, that's part of the appeal here. If Exum weren't so injury-prone, he wouldn't be readily available. Beyond those basic stats, Exum is a considerably above-average perimeter defender. He was drafted as a point guard, but by 2025, he's closer to a wing with some ball-handling chops.

So, a guard in Ime Udoka's system.

Ultimately, gambling on Exum's health would be the type of low-risk, medium-reward move that smart front offices make. Assuming he doesn't cost a rotation player, or meaningful draft capital, what's the downside?

If he can't play, it's nearly a lateral move. If he can, he could give the Rockets an injection of ball-handling without compromising their identity. Exum can comfortably play alongside Reed Sheppard as well - he shouldn't be costing any young Rockets any opportunities. We're likely talking about a guy who can soak up 10 minutes per game across positions:

But he's good enough for the Rockets to consider.