NBA Trade Rumors: The Houston Rockets are still eyeing a move for a star player and could have Zion Williamson on their radar.
For the better part of the last year, it's been pretty evident that the Houston Rockets intend on pivoting toward a win-now build. Heading into the start of this offseason, that hasn't changed. Over the last few weeks, the Rockets have been linked to several big-name trade targets, including Jimmy Butler, Brandon Ingram, Kevin Durant, and Mikal Bridges.
According to a recent report, there's another pipe dream target that could be on the Rockets' radar as the start of NBA Free Agency quickly approaches. Sam Amick, of The Athletic, notes that Zion Williamson could be another name the Rockets could be interested in trading for. It's hard to imagine the New Orleans Pelicans being interested in trading Zion but you never know.
And that's something that the Rockets may be hanging their hats on. In their mind, if there's at least an outside chance that they could pry Zion or any other big-name star away from their current team, they'll take their chances.
As we get deeper and deeper into the offseason, the Rockets are one team that is widely expected to be on the prowl for a franchise cornerstone.
The Houston Rockets are in position to make a move for a star player
The Rockets have a flurry of future first-round draft picks that they could trade (up to 4 or 5) and a talented collection of young players that could be included in a blockbuster offer too. If Houston wanted to build a package around Alperen Sengun or Jalen Green, along with 3-4 future first-round picks, they could likely gain some real traction in their pursuit of a star player.
I'm not sure if that package is enough to pry away Zion from the Pelicans, even less so after they made the bold move for Dejounte Murray, but it may be enough to spark a conversation or even get a deal done for another star player.
Either way, it's clear that the Rockets have positioned themselves in a way where they could acquire a star player. The question is, will they be able to find the right target, and whether a team is going to be willing to play ball with them? As the start of free agency quickly approaches, that remains to be seen.