New Blockbuster Three-Team Trade Proposal Sends De'Aaron Fox to Houston Rockets, Hawks Pick Up Rotation Depth

Could the Rockets make a move to land the Kings point guard and how could the Hawks be involved?

Nov 18, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) drives to the basket against Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (13) during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The holidays may be upon us, but the NBA trade season is kicking into gear as the trade deadline draws closer and closer. There is always chatter about one or two stars angling for a change of scenery. This year, it looks like De'Aaron Fox is that star.

The All-Star point guard has been reportedly concerned about what his future in Sacramento entails in recent weeks. Per NBA insider Sam Amick of the Athletic, Fox's agent was in Sacramento to meet with team management about the topic. Amick also had this to say about trade speculation around Fox.

"Meanwhile, rival executives are monitoring the Fox situation closely and league sources say one team in particular — the San Antonio Spurs — is positioning itself to pursue the Houston native as a possible partner for Victor Wembanyama, should Fox become available."

If Fox does become avaliable, would the Houston Rockets be interested in bringing him home?

This season, the Rockets are third in a stacked Western Conference with a 19-9 record. They have won games through their excellent defense (2nd in defensive rating) and getting out in transition. However, their offense could use some work. They are currently 14th in points per game and 28th in three-point percentage. Therefore, the prospect of adding an offensive creator like Fox would certainly boost those numbers. Fox isn't a very consistent shooter from deep (33% on six attempts a game), but he shot 37% on similar volume last season and would be an upgrade over the 29.5% on six attempts that Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet currently has from deep. Furthermore, Fox is is currently averaging 26.3 points and 6.1 assists on 48.7% shooting from the field and a true shooting percentage of 58.3%. He is also averaging 1.7 steals per game on the defensive end. His speed and rim pressure would fit perfectly in Houston and should outweigh the slight downgrade on defense from VanVleet.

The need for Fox is certainly there, but how does this help the Hawks? Atlanta's three-point percentages have also not looked good this season and more help on that end is definitely necessary. They also need more help at the backup point guard spot after losing Kobe Bufkin for the year. Fortunately, a Fox trade to the Rockets could involve pieces that would help both needs if Atlanta was the third team.

What would a hypothetical deal look like? Here is one possible framework.

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks should do or will do. That is all.

Atlanta Hawks get: Kevin Huerter, Alex Len, Jordan McLaughlin, 2026 2nd round pick (via Sacramento), 2026 2nd round pick (from Houston, via LAC/Boston/Indiana/Miami)

Houston Rockets get: De'Aaron Fox, Larry Nance Jr, Trey Lyles, Garrison Mathews

Sacramento Kings get: Fred VanVleet, Jeff Green, Cody Zeller, Cam Whitmore, David Roddy, 2025 1st round pick (via Houston), 2027 1st round pick-swap (via Houston)

Why the Hawks would do this trade: Huerter's had success in Atlante befor and boasts a career 37.7% mark from deep and shot 36.1% from deep on five attempts a game just last season. He also fits well around stars when he is not in the midst of a shooting slump. The Hawks get picks for taking his contract on and they also add a viable backup point guard in McLaughlin. He's struggled with Sacramento, but posted 3.5 points, 1.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 11.2 minutes per game on 48 percent shooting from the field and a career-best 47 percent from three-point range (1.6 attempts per contest) last season with the Timberwolves. He's also a solid facilitator, boasting per-36 minutes averages of 6.3 assists vs. 1.1 turnovers per game when he was with the T-Wolves. Len is mostly salary filler, but occupies Zeller and Nance's role for a much cheaper figure. There is also familarity with Len's skillset from his 2018-2020 stint with the team.

Why the Hawks would not do this trade: Huerter is currently going through one of the worst slumps of his career (30.8% from deep on six attempts a game) and struggles on defense. If his shot is not falling, it is difficult for him to stay on the court. He is also making north of 16 million dollars a year, which is a farily significant salary for a bench shooter. Furthermore, neither McLaughlin nor Len can really be expected to play long-term roles for Atlanta.

Why the Rockets would do this trade: Fox's speed is unmatched by practically anyone in the NBA and he's a true three-level scorer. He can draw attention away from center Alperen Sengun, who is a budding star for the Rockets. The combination of Fox and hyper-athletic wing Amen Thompson is simply impossible for most lineups to keep up with. That's all before coming to how effective Fox is in the fourth quarter as an isolation scorer. Because he needs a new contract, the trade price for Fox is relatively manageable compared to other stars. Houston has the picks to make the move and keep their powder dry to go star-hunting again if they need to. Larry Nance is also an excellent back-up big who has more utility than Green does, a Mathews shooting streak could do wonders for the Rockets and Lyles is more depth to replace the loss of Whitmore.

Why the Rockets would not do this trade: They may not want to spend significant assets on upgrading the point guard position given that they have to figure out the roles of Jalen Green and Reed Sheppard on the roster going forward. Furthermore, the contract discussion might be an area that Houston management shies away from.

Why the Kings would do this trade: If Fox is truly unhappy in Sacramento, a package centered around VanVleet and Whitmore is reasonable value for a player angling for a new contract. VanVleet is an immediate replacement for Fox at the point guard spot. Although he's struggled mightily this year, his contract expires after next season. The real prize could be Whitmore, who flashed star potental during his rookie season. He's an athletic wing who's showed promise as a defender and shooter (35.7% from deep on 4.7 attempts in 2023-24). Green and Roddy are both expiring deals that will free up future money while Zeller can fill in for Len's limited role on the roster. The Kings also get back into what should be a loaded 2025 draft class to add more talent.

Why the Kings would do this trade: They are taking a big gamble on Whitmore's upside and future development. It should be noted that Whitmore's excellent rookie season has not translated into a bigger role in 2024-25. He has shuttled between the G League and the regular lineup. Additonally, Green and Zeller are mostly veteran presences at this stage while Roddy has never been able to catch on with a team throughout his short career.

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