Kevin Durant. Zion Williamson. Devin Booker. Donovan Mitchell.
Wait – scratch Mitchell off the list.
He won’t be joining the Houston Rockets any time soon. Mitchell just signed a three-year extension with the Cavaliers. One of the Rockets’ most popular trade targets is seemingly off the market.
It got us thinking. Who else could the Rockets target? In the modern NBA, stars request trades regularly. The Rockets will have the assets to make a move for anyone who shakes loose. We’re looking at superstar players who aren’t currently in trade rumors.
Here are four superstars we think the Rockets could target down the road.
1. Giannis Antetokoumnpo
Forget Sengun. Forget Thompson. Disregard any discourse about fit:
If Giannis Antetokoumnpo becomes available, you just go for it.
Some will disagree. They’ll say that at 29, Antetokoumnpo is a candidate to age poorly. To be sure, players who rely on physical advantages can reach the end of their career more quickly than folks would like.
This is Giannis Antetokoumnpo. If he’s on your roster, you have a chance to win an NBA title. That will be true for at least a few more years. If he becomes available, the Rockets should look to pivot.
That’s exactly why, as it stands, Antetokoumnpo is not said to be available. The Bucks would not part with him easily. Still, if Milwaukee follows up a disappointing season with another dud, we wouldn’t be surprised to see trade rumors heating up.
Rest assured, the Rockets will be on the list of interested suitors.
2. Anthony Davis
Does Davis compliment Sengun? Does he compliment Amen? For that matter: does he compliment either?
It’s hard to say. Davis shot 27.1% from long-range last year. He’s a career 29.7% shooter. This is not exactly a floor spacer.
At the same time, Sengun has the potential to improve as a shooter. If he could bump his percentage up to league-average, he could play with Davis if the Rockets continued to have Fred VanVleet run point. Alternatively, Thompson and Davis could be tenable if Davis was playing the 5.
In other words, Davis could potentially work alongside either Sengun or Thompson, but it’s doubtful that all three could co-exist. Either way, we’re putting the cart before the horse. Why would the Lakers make Davis available?
Well, LeBron James may be on pace to become the first NBA player to never retire. Something tells us that, at 39, his days in the NBA are numbered. The Lakers seem stuck on the mediocrity treadmill – if they choose to get off, Davis could become available within the next year or two.
3. LaMelo Ball
Sure, Ball has been linked to the Rockets before. He’s not as prominently seen as a potential target as the names we listed at this piece’s beginning.
Meanwhile, it’s unlikely that the Hornets will look to move him soon. Even if they’re turning their attention to the future, Ball is just 22. The Hornets infamously passed on Scoot Henderson to draft Brandon Miller because he was a better fit with the dynamic playmaker.
Yet, there’s always been an underlying sense that Ball could force his way out of Charlotte. If he did, the Rockets would have to be tempted. As a floor spacer, Ball could perfectly complement Sengun. By pairing the two and surrounding them with defensive wings, the Rockets could build a formidable two-way team.
It may not include Amen Thompson. Ball wouldn’t necessarily edge him out – he could function as a play-finisher alongside Ball – but he would rule him out as a primary playmaker moving forward.
Could a star who compliments every Rocket become available?
4. Bam Adebayo
Adebayo and the Heat are reportedly working on a max extension. Like Mitchell, he won’t be available anytime soon.
What if the Heat continue to flounder? It wouldn’t be characteristic for this organization to move their best player. The Heat typically opt to stay in win-now mode. They have an organizational advantage when it comes to attracting talent, so they’re less incentivized to bottom out.
Never say never. Suppose Adebayo did become available. The Rockets would only be interested in him if they wanted to replace Alperen Sengun – that pair won’t be viable as a duo.
We suspect they’d consider it. Adebayo isn’t quite the passer that Sengun is, but he’s still exceptional in that area. The Rockets could replicate some of their sets that use Sengun as a hub, only with a big man who can guard 1-through-5 instead of a net negative.
On the other hand, they may prefer to pair someone with Sengun.