The Houston Rockets have gotten off to a slow start to the 2025-26 NBA season.
They dropped their season opener against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in double overtime, and couldn’t pull out a victory against the Detroit Pistons in game two.
It’s possible the loss of veteran point guard Fred VanVleet has held their offense back early in the year.
Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun have been dominant, averaging a combined 58 points per game through two contests.
However, their supporting cast hasn’t been able to get going, likely thanks to a lack of a true table-setter.
Houston can’t waste the tail-end of Durant’s storied NBA career, and if they’re serious about making a run at a championship, they’ll need to remedy that by acquiring a point guard.
Rockets Trade Proposal Lands Hornets’ LaMelo Ball
In a trade pitch proposed by the Wrightway Sports Network, the Houston Rockets could acquire Charlotte Hornets star point guard LaMelo Ball.
In order for the trade to work, it would have to look like something as follows:
Houston Rockets receive: LaMelo Ball
Charlotte Hornets receive: Fred VanVleet, Reed Sheppard, Jeff Green, 2027 1st round pick (PHX), 2028 1st round pick
While a cutthroat move to part ways with the injured VanVleet, who has done so much for the Rockets’ culture since signing as a free agent, Houston has a closing championship window and must improve.
“Not only would Ball help replace the production lost by VanVleet, but he could be part of the future of this team. Since Durant is older, he is only likely to play a few more years, which would leave a big hole in the overall rotation of this Rockets team,” wrote Matt Levine.
“Last year with the Hornets, Ball appeared in 47 games, while putting up 25.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per contest.”
Acquiring Ball isn’t just a win-now move; it also sets the Rockets up for long-term success.
Houston’s young core features a 23-year-old Sengun, a 22-year-old Amen Thompson, and a 22-year-old Jabari Smith Jr.
Ball, at 24, could grow alongside the Rockets’ nucleus and would be the franchise’s point guard for the next decade-plus.
Would the Hornets Make the Deal?
The Charlotte Hornets know Ball better than anybody.
He has tantalizing upside as an All-Star player, but for reasons including injuries and the roster around him, it has not equaled winning basketball yet.
The Hornets are still fairly far away from being a contending team, and as Ball enters his prime, it’s fair to wonder if he’s interested in sticking around in Charlotte as the rebuild continues.
Trading him to the Houston Rockets for this package would bring back quite the haul.
Charlotte gets a veteran presence in the locker room with VanVleet, and a young point guard in Reed Sheppard, who could develop with the Hornets’ recent draft picks in Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller.
Along with the Phoenix Suns’ first-round pick in 2027, which could very likely be in the lottery, and an extra Rockets first-rounder in their back pocket, their rebuild would be fast-tracked for a success-starved Hornets fan base.
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