Inside The Rockets

Houston Rockets: Trade or Develop?

The Houston Rockets have been linked to several NBA stars throughout the offseason and now. Should they make a trade, or stick to their young core?

Ryan Diamond

Nov 20, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) reacts with teammates after a play during the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Nov 20, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) reacts with teammates after a play during the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
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Kelly Iko, reporter for The Athletic, has confirmed that the Rockets are not interested in trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Brian Windhorst, reporter for ESPN, said that Amen Thompson and Tari Eason are both now untouchables and cannot be traded.

The "Terror Twins" fit right into Ime Udoka's structure. Both players don't just want to win, they are winners. They will go out and put their bodies on the line and do whatever it takes to secure the victory. Aggressive on offense, and hostile on defense, they are perfect for Udoka's "win-now, no-bs" coaching.

Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun both signed extensions right before the season started. Green started this season off boiling, and Sengun has recently started to get back into his groove. Although both contracts are very team-friendly, the extensions are signs of keeping this group together.

Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. are going into their contract-extension talks this offseason. If both players are kept, that is another sign that Houston wants to continue to grow and develop their "Core Seven." Smith Jr. had a strong performance last night against the Indiana Pacers, and keeping both players would ignite the light in this team's future growth together.

Thompson and Cam Whitmore are huge pieces for Houston off of the bench. Although Whitmore has not played so well this season, he has shown great potential. He runs the floor really quickly and knows how to get to his spot. The energy he provides on the court through his powerful dunks or big-time threes when he is shooting well is something that the Rockets should look into keeping him. Thompson is 6-foot-7, and can play anywhere from the one to five on the floor. His IQ on the court is exceptional, and the aggressiveness he brings from turning big defensive stops to offense has been a driving force for Houston this season. It makes sense why he'd be included as unctouchable.

Reed Sheppard is only a rookie, so there is still a lot of time for him to improve and get comfortable as an NBA player. He has not yet shown the same amount of comfort and fluidity as he did in the Summer League, but he has shown flashes of what he can be. Sheppard has shot well, and hit some big shots when needed to. His ability to get out onto the court and shoot when he needs to has been solid. While he has been shooting well, he needs to take more shots. There have been times where he has had good looks and pass them up, which is something that the guard will improve on.

The Rockets should keep growing and developing their "Core Seven." Trading pieces away that can win a championship together in years to come would not make sense. Developing these players together not only forms a bond between them off-court, but it instills a winning culture in them that they have to all learn together.

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Ryan Diamond
RYAN DIAMOND

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