The Houston Rockets have gotten off to a great start to the 2025-26 season, despite the loss of Fred VanVleet.
The veteran point guard’s injury was a tough blow before the season could get underway, but Houston has been able to make due so far.
Alperen Sengun has been handling the burden of the playmaking load, averaging 7.3 assists per game across seven contests.
Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard have filled in as well, with 5.7 and three assists per game, respectively.
But is this sustainable for a team with NBA Finals aspirations like the Rockets?
With 37-year-old Kevin Durant not getting any younger, it may be in the team’s best interest to capitalize on their championship window and find a veteran point guard on the trade market.
Bill Simmons Proposes Derrick White-Rockets Trade Idea
There’s no better mock trade creator than the “Pod Father” Bill Simmons, and on the most recent episode of the Bill Simmons podcast, he floated a trade idea that would have the Houston Rockets landing Boston Celtics guard Derrick White.
Houston Rockets receive: Derrick White, Xavier Tillman
Boston Celtics receive: Fred VanVleet, Tari Eason, 2027 first-round pick (PHX)
“Look, if Houston doesn’t wanna do that, then there’s no trade. But I think that’s the price,” Simmons told co-host Joe House.
“They can turn Derrick White into Eason and that Phoenix pick, and you’re the Celtics, you kinda have to do that. I don’t know how you say no to that. That’s my price if I’m Boston.”
White’s fit in Houston isn’t up for debate.
He would slide in seamlessly for Ime Udoka’s Rockets team as the starting point guard, right into VanVleet’s former role with the team.
As an elite three-&-D player, White immediately bumps up Houston’s championship odds with his history of being a proven NBA Finals-winning player.
He isn’t the distributor that VanVleet is, but he makes up for it in scoring output and ability as a perimeter defender.
If the Rockets are serious about competing for an NBA championship, White makes the most sense as a trade target.
The trade compensation in this particular proposal, however, is a different story.
Is the Price too High for Derrick White?
After Simmons proposed the hypothetical deal, his co-host pushed back fairly heavily on the assets.
House was almost flabbergasted at the thought of including Tari Eason in the deal, a young player on the Houston Rockets with immense upside.
“Tari Eason…that’s a triple-double win for Boston, are you kidding me? That 2027 Phoenix pick AND Tari Eason? Respectfully, get the [expletive] out of here, that’s outrageous,” House laughed.
In all fairness, Simmons does have a tendency to overvalue his beloved Boston Celtics players when mocking NBA trades.
“Tari Eason is an important part of that [championship push]… that pick is crazy valuable, and Tari Eason is very valuable, and the FVV contract is a movable part for somebody.”
Eason has been a key rotational player for the Rockets this season.
The fourth-year forward has been playing 25.7 minutes per game, averaging 12.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and two assists.
At 24 years old, Eason still has a lot more room to grow, and while White is a tantalizing prospect to a contending team like Houston, there has to be a better package out there that doesn’t take away as much from your future like this proposal from Simmons.
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