The Houston Rockets could explore a potential Trae Young trade ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline, per FOX SA’s Dusty Garza, aka Spurs Reporter.
Garza noted that the guard-heavy Spurs “aren’t in the mix” for Young, but the Rockets could get involved either as a facilitator or even as a suitor for the four-time All-Star.
“…The Rockets are being mentioned as a “facilitator,” but some around the league wonder… If things keep sliding in Houston, could Ime Udoka finally be open to flipping Fred VanVleet’s $42.8M expiring and their stash of Suns/Nets picks for point guard help that may help them win now?”
The report also named the Thunder as potential facilitators of a potential Trae Young-Anthony Davis swap, given the Hawks’ reported interest in the Mavericks star.
“Rival scouts view Zaccharie Risacher as an ideal “buy-low” developmental fit for the Thunder. OKC remains uniquely positioned and ready to accept low-priced Risacher and to provide the surplus draft capital Atlanta needs to finalize a blockbuster with Dallas.”
VanVleet Unlikely to Return
Garza’s report comes amid insider Marc Stein reporting that the Hawks are all-in on exploring a Trae Young trade ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline.
“There is a growing belief leaguewide that the Hawks are more open to trading him away than they’ve ever been,” Stein wrote in his latest Substack.”But what happens to their payroll if no such trade materializes and Young winds up exercising that option? Can the Hawks dare to find out by trading for Davis this winter without Young exiting at the same time?”
It’s worth noting that Fred VanVleet, who has a Player Option for the 2026-27 season, is unlikely to return ahead of the Rockets’ playoff push. As such, the Rockets may actually benefit from trading for Young, who also has a Player Option for next season. The Rockets won’t be taking a massive gamble or a hit to their future cap space by bringing Young on board.
Do Rockets Need a PG?
When VanVleet went down with an ACL injury, the Rockets were widely expected to hunt the market for a quality starting point guard. Instead, they entrusted ball-handling duties to third-year guard Amen Thompson and second-year guard Reed Sheppard, a plan that has yielded mixed results. While they’ve combined for 8.8 assists per game, both players have routinely been forced into turnovers in clutch-time situations.
Interestingly, former NBA player Jeff Teague recently urged the Rockets to trade for James Harden, reuniting the former MVP with Kevin Durant.
“They need to trade for James Harden,” Teague said on the Club 520 podcast. “[The Rockets should] tell James you want him to play like he was in Brooklyn: ‘Be the point guard.’
“James is still playing at a high level right now, but I think he’d be motivated,” Teague added. “I think he knows he’d have a real chance to do something in the West.”
The Rockets (19-10) are on a two-game winning streak since their Christmas Day victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Ime Udoka’s men next face the Indiana Pacers (6-26) at home on Monday night.
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