Last season, the Houston Rockets had a very respectable 53-30 record in a competitive Western Conference. Although they ended up being bested by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round, there is still plenty to look forward to for Houston.
On Thursday morning, Houston agreed to an extension with Amen Thompson worth $208 million over five years. The deal includes a 10% trade kicker, but comes in about $44 million less than 25% of the cap max, giving Houston a little more financial freedom. This also marks the fourth straight rookie Houston has given a favorable extension to, dating back to Jalen Green.
With Kevin Durant heading into his second year with the team, Thompson, Jabari Smith, and Alperen Sengun are locked into long-term deals; what's next for the Rockets? First on the agenda would be to continue the development of Reed Sheppard, and then assess their new signees, Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic's fit with the team. After that, they may be in the market to make a splash with hopes to go all in.
Also Read: BIG Move By Houston Rockets Just Pushed Them Closer to Making Kevin Durant Trade
Nov 25, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) and guard Kyrie Irving (11) celebrate a made shot in the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Kyrie Irving poses a lot of risk if Houston tries to acquire him, but he could also be equally valuable. Last season, Irving missed all 82 games for the Dallas Mavericks as he recovered from a left ACL tear. Although he is now 34, he could absolutely still be a second option on a championship team.
Irving has always been known as a premier-level scorer, averaging 23.7 points per game throughout his career. On top of that, he has been an elite shot maker on all three levels and would be a major upgrade as their starting point guard.
Irving, alongside Durant, Sengun, Thompson, and the rest of the roster, makes for an extremely balanced lineup. Irving's presence as yet another scorer would instantly bring Thompson's game to the next level. He would take an offensive load off Durant and Sengun while also complementing each of their gameplays. His offensive skill set would be great for Houston, and they should show interest if Dallas decides to make him available.
Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets guard Fred Vanvleet and forward Kevin Durant watch from the bench against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Dallas has shut down all offers for Irving, which makes it difficult to reunite the two superstars. Houston will have Fred VanVleet return from injury, ready to take over as starting point guard, but that doesn't mean he can't be upgraded. Houston can offer Dallas VanVleet, Marcus Smart, and JD Davidson, along with a 2027 and 2029 first-round pick.
Smart isn't eligible to be traded yet, but he will be on October 10th. For Houston, they would get their starting point guard for the foreseeable future. This would instantly put them in the same tier as the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder . Dallas, on the other hand, gets a replacement point guard alongside Cooper Flagg , but more importantly, a 2027 first-round pick. Dallas doesn't own their own first-round pick until 2031, so they may take the bait just for the draft capital.
What makes it even more interesting is the stakes of these picks. The 2027 first is a swap bet with the Brooklyn Nets . They are projected to be in the bottom five of the league. The 2029 first is actually their own, which Houston acquired years ago in a James Harden trade. That means the Mavericks could get a potential top-ten pick next year, as well as their own in 2029. These picks could be crucial when building a team around Flagg.
Dallas and Houston have been part of some bizarre transactions in the past. If the two deal together again could have Irving join Durant once again and make Houston a title favorite.
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