Inside The Rockets

Rockets Winning Nets Pick Swap

The Houston Rockets appear to have made the right decision in regards to a recent trade with the Brooklyn Nets.

Jeremy Brener

Nov 9, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney (21) looks to shoot in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Nov 9, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney (21) looks to shoot in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images
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Many people were surprised when the Houston Rockets agreed to trade the control of the next two Brooklyn Nets picks back to them for future Phoenix Suns assets earlier this year.

However, through the first few weeks of the season, the Rockets look smart for making the deal.

Many assumed that when the Nets traded Mikal Bridges that a tank was incoming, and that isn't necessarily wrong. However, the Nets have been playing better than expected.

The Nets were "supposed" to be one of the worst teams in the league and in the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes atop the 2025 NBA Draft. However, they are hovering around the .500 mark, and that's good enough to be in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference, decreasing their chances at getting a top pick.

The season is still very young and the Nets have plenty of time to plummet in the standings. However, with coach Jordi Fernandez leading a group of veterans and young players looking to prove themselves, the Nets may not get as low as people expect. They could emerge as a surprise team in the Eastern Conference, making Houston's trade a good deal in hindsight.

The Rockets are back in action tonight on the road against the Chicago Bulls. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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