Rockets Reportedly Interested in Trading for Former Celtic

If the Trail Blazers part with the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, as expected, the Rockets would like Houston to be his landing spot.
Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Rockets recently acquired Victor Oladipo and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Kevin Porter Jr., who the latter franchise immediately waived, and multiple second-round picks.

The Thunder had to part with three players by Monday, so this deal was an efficient way to accomplish that while adding even more draft capital. As for the Rockets, while Oladipo, who will miss most if not all of the 2023-24 campaign due to a torn patellar tendon in his left knee, may not provide any on-court value, his $9.5 million salary is a potentially useful trade chip for Houston.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reports there's an expectation around the NBA that the Rockets will pair the two-time All-Star's contract with second-round draft picks, hoping to strengthen its roster.

Houston acquired Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks this offseason and added Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore at the draft. They also hired former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka.

As they set their sights on the play-in tournament, they're reportedly interested in swinging a deal for Malcolm Brogdon, per Fischer. The NBA insider adds that the Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers are yet to engage in "significant conversations" about a potential deal involving the reigning Sixth Man of the Year.

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Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon (13) drives for a score past Philadelphia 76ers forward Georges Niang (20) in game six of the 2023 NBA playoffs.

After coming over with Robert Williams in the deal bringing Jrue Holiday to Boston, Brogdon's expressed he's not looking for the Trail Blazers to reroute him quickly to another franchise. Portland also seems willing to have him in the fold to start the season.

And while it seems more likely than not that the former Celtics guard will have a new NBA home at some point between now and the trade deadline, one would think the Trail Blazers can find a better return package than Oladipo and multiple second-round picks. Granted, coming from Houston, those picks could prove quite valuable.

Further Reading

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Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Hornets: Boston's Ready for Regular Season

Here's What Jayson Tatum Praises Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzulla For

Jayson Tatum on Working with Sam Cassell: ‘It’s Been Great'

Celtics Praise Al Horford, Who May Have to Sacrifice Most: 'Critical Piece to Our Team and Our Locker Room'

Celtics Embracing Sacrifice in Championship Pursuit: 'Have to Buy into That'

The Latest on Celtics' Extension Talks with Derrick White

Al Horford Shares Where Kristaps Porzingis Has Impressed Him Most

Under Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Rebuilding Brotherhood Between Past and Present

Candace Parker on Celtics Trading Marcus Smart, Maximizing Tatum-Brown Tandem, Pat Summitt, and the Sports Matter Initiative

Here's What to Know About Celtics' 2023-24 Schedule

Dwyane Wade Discusses Jayson Tatum's Next Step, Him and Jaylen Brown's Challenge, Heat Culture, Pat Riley, Damian Lillard, and Life After Basketball


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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.