Rockets get unexpected blessing with surprise Julius Randle trade

To everyone's surprise, the Rockets of all teams could wind up the biggest beneficiaries of the recent trade sending Julius Randle to the Nets. Of course, we now know that the cap space created in Minnesota ultimately led to the big move of acquiring LaMelo Ball, but the Rockets also wind up with an unexpected benefit.

Next season, Randle should help the Nets finish outside of the bottom 3 in the league record-wise, as they did last season. Under the NBA's upcoming draft lottery revision, that would actually give Brooklyn's pick a better chance of landing high in the lottery than being an absolute bottom-feeder. And the best part? The Rockets own swap rights to that pick.

The Rockets should be rejoicing over Randle's new team

Houston was able to make noise in the draft this season even without a first-round pick, but they could really find themselves in prime position to add talent next year. If the Nets finish outside the Play-In Tournament but above the bottom 3, as you would expect with Randle and Michael Porter Jr present, their pick will have as good odds of winning the lottery as any other.

And let's not forget that Randle is still no slouch as a regular season performer. His reputation has taken a hit in the playoffs over the years, but he still produces at nearly an All-Star level in the regular season. Just last season, he averaged 21 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists per game. On a Brooklyn squad with few other go-to options besides himself and Porter, Randle could look even better next season.

Randle's game is perfectly suited to add wins for a tanking team. He has a great track record of sterling health, playing in 79 games last season. He's also willing to get his shots off and hit them at the same middling efficiency against practically any defensive coverage. On a great team, this could limit their ceiling - but on a bad team, it will likely raise their floor.

The Nets could be Houston's best shot at a young superstar

The young offseason has already shown us that marquee stars aren't interested in coming to Houston. The Rockets lack the appeal of a truly huge market and also have a messy roster to figure out. Their lack of spacing across the roster probably doesn't appeal to young stars looking for driving lanes.

Therefore, the Rockets' best bet at getting a high-impact young player might just be relying on a high draft pick. Since the Rockets themselves are positioned to make the playoffs year after year, they can only hope that the Nets gift them a top pick soon.

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