Why Rockets Could Trade for Clippers' Kawhi Leonard

The Houston Rockets could make a big splash by trading for Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 30, 2024

Mar 6, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives with the ball around Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore (7) during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

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Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets have a number of assets both present and future that could help them net one of the best players in the NBA.

Bleacher Report writer Greg Swartz suggests that the Rockets could target Los Angeles Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard in a trade.

"The Houston Rockets are at the top of the list of contenders to go star hunting between now and the Feb. 6 trade deadline. This team is loaded with young talent and draft picks and should be hungry to make a playoff run after finishing just short last season," Swartz writes. "Leonard is an intriguing target if the Clippers' season goes south. Putting the two-time Finals MVP in the starting lineup in place of Dillon Brooks and reuniting Leonard with former Toronto Raptors teammate Fred VanVleet and some rising stars could make the Rockets a playoff lock."

The Rockets would likely need to part with Jalen Green or Alperen Sengun at the very least to make a deal like this happen, but with players like Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard all coming up behind them, Houston could afford to make a big splash like this and still have young players around to lay down the foundation for the future of the franchise.

It would be a risk, but a move like this would cement Houston's status among the best teams in the Western Conference.

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Published Aug 30, 2024

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.