Do the Rockets Wish They Could Trade For Kings Forward Kessler Edwards?

The Houston Rockets fantasized deal would bring in Kessler Edwards from the Kings along with an assortment of future draft picks in exchange for Jae'Sean Tate.

The Houston Rockets are in a "good" place as the No. 15 seed in the NBA Western Conference and No. 29 league-wide at 15-52. They are well positioned to win the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery and strike gold on French phenom Victor Wembanyama. Yet, a recent article fantasized trading Rockets wing Jae'Sean Tate for more draft stock. 

Bleacher Report created a list of players every team in the league wishes they could trade for right now, with this to say about Houston:

"Tate hustles his...uh, tail off at both ends, and he does a lot of the little things that are conducive to winning basketball—you know, provided he was in a situation that cared about winning. Since the Rockets are (rightfully) thinking about their future, they could move him to a win-now shopper in exchange for some scratch-off tickets. 

Is there a chance Houston doesn't snag a single rotation player out of [Walker] Kessler and the three picks? Absolutely. But the possibility that one (or hopefully more) hits is a rich enough reward to justify that risk."

The proposed deal would send Tate to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for F Walker Kessler and three second-round picks. 

The Rockets would be acquiring beneficial draft stock moving forward in an otherwise advantageous move. Tate is under contract for $6.5 million in 2023-24 and north of $7 million in 2024-25 where the Rockets have a team option. Bringing in Edwards -- who is owed roughly $1.9 million in 2023-24 -- figures to save Houston over $4.5 million next season.

Houston could use all of the draft capital they can get, to either utilize in further cultivating their farming system or parlay in trades to acquire marquee players to put next to a core of Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun, as well as whoever they bring in at the 2023 Draft.

However, the deal makes little sense for the Kings. Currently, Sacramento is the No. 2 seed in the West at 40-26. De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis were both named 2023 NBA All-Stars, and they've excelled behind the former in clutch performances. 

Sacramento is ideally in the market to acquire a third bonafide star to pair next to the aforementioned studs in hopes of capturing a championship, at either the center or small forward position.

Coughing up three picks, regardless of the round, for Tate -- who averages 9.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game this year, and has never shot above 31.2 percent from three or 71.9 percent from the free throw line in his career -- is wishful thinking. Adding a young prospect in Edwards to the fold makes it all but fantasy basketball.

Additionally, the Kings have an assortment of players at his position either starting or coming off their bench. Sacramento invested the No. 9 overall pick in 2021 to guard Davion Mitchell. They also have Malik Monk and Terence Davis off the bench. Despite his modest 6.7 PPG, the latter of the three has been a spark plug off the Kings' bench.

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