The Rockets are the sneaky winners of shocking Luka Doncic blockbuster

The Houston Rockets changed the NBA trade market.

Specifically, they altered the way we look at first-round picks. Sure, draft capital has always had value around the league. The reaction was mostly confusion when the Rockets received virtually nothing else for superstar guard James Harden.

What else did they get?

Fast forward to 2025. The deal looks good. The Rockets have parlayed some of those picks into distant, potentially more valuable ones.

One of those selections just got especially juicy.

Massive NBA blockbuster has ripple effect for Rockets

Granted, most people didn't think of the Rockets when the news first broke.

Luka Doncic is a Los Angeles Laker. This is arguably the most shocking trade in NBA history. There were zero indications in the rumor mill that the Mavericks were moving their superstar playmaker.

The implications for the Rockets in the short term are one thing. Ostensibly, the Lakers just got a bit better, and the Mavericks just got a bit worse. Time will tell whether Doncic fits alongside LeBron James, or if the Lakers are even keeping James. Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving will be a formidable duo, but this is a talent downgrade for Dallas.

Moreover, their long-term outlook just got murkier. Davis is six years older than Doncic, and highly injury-prone. Kyrie Irving has been one of the most volatile stars in the league for some time. Dallas will be competitive for a while, but it's easy to see the wheels falling off in a few years.

Imagine owning their 2029 first-round pick?

Rockets asset just increased in value

As part of the trade the Rockets made with the Nets this summer, they received swap rights to Dallas' 2029 first-round pick.

Specifically, the Rockets are owed the two best picks between themselves, the Mavericks and the Suns that year. That's a highly valuable asset. Realistically, it just became one of the best assets in the NBA.

The Suns have already looked to be on the verge of collapse. Now, it's hard to project Dallas' future as well. What are the odds that neither will be a lottery team by 2029?

That said, the Rockets may not own the pick by then. They may have traded it for a superstar. With the value of this pick increasing, that could be easier.

Either way, the Rockets have a surplus of assets as is. For this pick to increase in value is a blessing.

Even when they're not involved, the Rockets seem to influence the trade market.