Houston Rockets Have 'Maintained' Interest in All-Star Donovan Mitchell

Could the Houston Rockets look to acquire the Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard?

May 11, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts in the fourth quarter of game three of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Could the Houston Rockets be primed to make more win-now moves this offseason? A year ago, the team signed Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet to bolster the team's chances of making the postseason. They won 41 games -- a 19-win improvement. They've also got a strong young core in Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson.

All-in-all, the Rockets will have to eventually pick a direction. Houston general manager Rafael Stone might soon be forced into a decision. The team has the No. 3 overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft. They can either lean more into their youth, using the selection to bring in more high-potential talent or trade the selection and other future assets to acquire a star player.

According to The Athletic's Kelly Iko, the franchise is maintaining interest in a Cleveland Cavaliers star. Donovan Mitchell, with rumors swirling of a potential departure, has garnered the interest of the Rockets.

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"The Houston Rockets have maintained interest in Cavs All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell for months and continue to monitor his situation in Cleveland," Iko reported.

It's no secret the Rockets don't want to practice patience. They're ready to compete now, even though they've got a very, very strong young core. This could hurt them in the future, should it stint the growth of their young talents. Still, if the opportunity is there to secure a player like Mitchell, it's hard to look away.

It's also been clear Mitchell desires to play in a bigger market. The Rockets can provide that, as Houston is a much better sports market than Salt Lake City or Cleveland. They can also put the ball in his hands.

The on-court fit would be interesting, and the team would have to make tweaks to accommodate Mitchell. Players like Smith Jr. would thrive in his presence, though Green would likely take a hit developmentally and with his current production.

Of course, one could assume Green would be moved in the trade, as he's a desirable young player who can help transform a franchise in the long term. They'd also lose the No. 3 pick, meaning they're ready to lean into building a contending team and abandon the youth movement.

In this scenario, the Rockets would also like a long-term commitment from Mitchell, signing him to a long-term contract extension.

It'll be worth watching if anything from Houston's reported interest materializes or if the conversation around the move is had.

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