The Houston Rockets were dealt a tough blow before training camp when they lost veteran point guard Fred VanVleet to a season-ending ACL injury.
Houston, last year’s No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, was primed for a huge year after nailing the offseason with the additions of Kevin Durant, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Clint Capela.
Now, they have a gaping hole at the point guard spot.
Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard are expected to see more minutes at point, but neither provides the Rockets what VanVleet would’ve if he were healthy.
Thompson is already one of the better perimeter defenders across the league, but his playmaking and offense still need some more work.
Sheppard has a lot of upside, but at 21 years old, he certainly still needs more time to develop.
The Rockets shouldn’t risk wasting the twilight of Durant’s career and find another point guard who can fill the void left behind by VanVleet.
Rockets Land Trae Young in Trade Idea
In a recent Bleacher Report story, Greg Swantz listed one ambitious trade target for each team during the 2025-26 NBA season.
He has the Houston Rockets making a push to trade for Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young.
“Trae Young joining forces with Kevin Durant, Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson and others would make the Rockets an incredible force, even in the West. Houston’s fifth-ranked defense should be able to absorb Young’s deficiencies on that end as well,” wrote Swantz.
“Using VanVleet’s expiring $25 million contract to help match salaries, the Rockets could put together a deal for Young while keeping their core pieces in place.”
Young is an offensive juggernaut, able to score and pass at will, which is something the Rockets are missing even when VanVleet is healthy.
While a liability defensively, that can be masked by his backcourt mate, Thompson, who can be relied on to handle the tougher assignments.
An estimated trade package is not listed, but in order for the salaries to match, the trade would have to look something like this.
Houston Rockets receive: Trae Young ($46m)
Atlanta Hawks receive: Fred VanVleet ($25m), Steven Adams ($14.1m), Tari Eason ($5.6m), Josh Okogie ($2.3m)
While Houston would certainly be taking a massive blow to their depth, the trade is a must for this point guard-less Rockets team that is ready to compete now.
Why the Hawks Make the Trade
The Atlanta Hawks don’t have to trade Young; they’re primed for an impressive season themselves in a weakened Eastern Conference without the likes of the Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum and Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton.
They acquired Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker via trades over the summer, and are looking forward to the return of Jalen Johnson, who was in the midst of a breakout season before tearing his labrum in January 2025.
But the former Oklahoma standout has two years remaining on his current contract with a player option at the end of this upcoming season.
If Atlanta isn’t interested in handing Young the supermax extension and fear he will opt out and test free agency, they should trade him now while they still have leverage.
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