5 for 1 to chase KD, 9 for 1 to chase Antetokounmpo! After being eliminated in the first round, the US media exposes the Rockets five major trading plans

After losing to the Warriors in the tiebreak battle, the Rockets' reinforcement issue this summer has become the focus of hot discussion and attention. It is undeniable that the Rockets have a group of talented young players, the team has considerable lineup, the young players have excellent athletic ability and are versatile on the defensive end, but they lack some fire on the offensive end. More importantly, they lack a superstar who can carry the scoring banner at critical moments. This shortcoming was fully exposed in the first round of the playoffs against the Golden State Warriors. Because the Rockets lack a stable number one scoring point, there is no reliable scoring weapon when they are in a stalemate in the key game, which is undoubtedly one of the important reasons why the Rockets failed in the first round.

Shen Jing averaged 21+12 games in the first round of the series and was selected for the 2025 All-Star Game, but he may be more suitable to be the team's second scoring point. His excellent passing ability is his biggest advantage. The Rockets rely too much on Van Vlitter's three-pointers in the series, but Van Vlitter is limited by his height and lacks offensive efficiency. Amen Thompson has excellent physical fitness, but his long-range shooting ability is poor; although Green occasionally has outstanding performances, his stability is insufficient, and he has only a handful of highlight moments. Fortunately, the Rockets have rich trading chips, and they have a lot of draft picks and young assets, which is very attractive to other teams. Sports Illustrated lists five potential deals for the Rockets in the offseason:

1. Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns)

Rockets get: Durant

Suns get: Van Vreet, Whitmore, Aaron Holliday, 2025 first-round draft pick (from the Suns), 2027 first-round draft pick (from the Suns)

Rockets urgently need a top scorer who can average 30 points per game, and Durant is undoubtedly the best candidate. As one of the top scorers in league history, Durant still maintains his peak state even though he is 36 years old, and his scoring ability can still rank among the top 10 active NBA. The Suns were eager to send off the future Hall of Famer before the 2025 NBA trading deadline, but unfortunately Durant refused to trade in the mid-season. Due to the failure of the Suns' Big Three combination and the team lacked draft picks, it seems that trading Durant this offseason seems to be imperative. The Rockets have multiple Suns' future first-round picks, and both sides can be said to have their own needs in the trade.

Rockets can return some draft picks to the Suns to help them rebuild. At the same time, Houston will usher in a superstar who is nearly 7 feet tall, who can score efficiently from outside the three-point line, mid-range and inside. Considering that Durant will be 37 next year, the Rockets may not be too demanding of him. It is reported that the Suns want to win three first-round picks, but because the two draft picks provided by the Rockets belong to Phoenix, it will help them rebuild, and they are more likely to accept the Rockets' offer.

Whitmore is one of the many potential new stars of the Rockets. Due to the amazing depth of the Rockets' lineup, it is difficult for him to occupy an important position in the Rockets' future framework. However, after this deal, the biggest problem faced by the Rockets is insufficient depth of point guards. After all, the Suns once struggled without star point guards. But introducing Durant is of great value, and Shin Kyung is one of the big guys with the best passing ability in active service, which can alleviate this problem to a certain extent.

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)

Rockets get: Antetokounmpo

Bucks get: Dillon Brooks, Jabarry Smith Jr., Reed Shepard, Jock Langdale, Nate Williams, 2027 first-round draft pick, 2029 first-round draft pick, 2031 first-round draft pick, 2027 first-round draft pick (from the Suns)

The price of trading Antetokounmpo may be higher than trading Durant, and his shooting ability is not as good as Durant. But this deal is still of great significance to the Rockets. In fact, Antetokounmpo and the Rockets' championship window are more in line with each other. Houston has young players such as Shinkyung, Green, Thompson, Whitmore, Tari Ethan, etc. They are all first-round draft picks in recent years. They are all under 25 years old, while Antetokounmpo is only 30 years old.

"Antetokounmpo" is 6 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 243 pounds, and his physical fitness is perverted. On the offensive end, he can easily break into the paint area and ask for it in the inside. Since the 2017-18 season, the two-time MVP has averaged nearly 30 points per game. On the defensive end, he was the best defensive player of the year, able to protect the basket and assist in defense when attacks are launched.

Antesco spent his entire career in Milwaukee, but there have been rumors that he may apply for a deal. The Bucks failed in the first round of the playoffs for the third consecutive year, with Lillard shattering his Achilles tendon in the series, casting a shadow on his NBA future. Shin Kyung's passes complement Antetokounmpo's attacking threat, and Antetokounmpo's athletic ability can also perfectly complement players such as Green, Whitmore and Thompson.

3. Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)

Rockets get: Devin Booker

Suns get: Jaylen Green, Reed Shepard, Jock Landale, 2025 first-round draft pick (from the Suns), 2027 first-round draft pick (from the Suns), 2029 first-round draft pick (from the Suns), 2026 first-round draft pick

Although the Suns seem to be inclined to trade Durant to leave Devin Booker, a superstar's trade may trigger a chain reaction, and it may be a wise move for the Suns to fully rebuild and hoard a large number of draft picks. After all, the Suns, which have Durant and Booker, have failed to make a breakthrough in the playoffs, and the future prospects of only Booker leading the team alone are even less optimistic.

Book is the best in the shooting guard position, with no blind spots in shooting, and has the ability to lead the team to the finals. Houston fans had hoped Green would grow the next Booker, but now Green seems to be increasingly struggling to realize his talent. Green's performance in the playoffs was not satisfactory, with scores of less than 12 points in six of his seven-game series against the Warriors. The pressure in the spotlight seems to be overwhelming for Green, so introducing Booker will be a major upgrade for the Rockets. In this deal, the Suns not only got back all the draft picks the Rockets owned, but also got an additional first-round draft pick.

In addition, Shepard is included in this deal. Although the third-coupe in the 2024 NBA Draft has not yet entered the rotation in his rookie season, his potential is proof of it, and his outstanding numbers in the G League are. Shepard is expected to become a potential star in the Suns' backcourt, and it is undoubtedly a good deal to get an experienced star player and a perennial All-Star player.

4. Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)

Rockets get: Trae Young

Hawks get: Jaylen Green, Reed Shepard, 2025 first-round draft pick (from the Suns), 2027 first-round draft pick (from the Suns), 2026 first-round draft pick

Trae Young has been rumored to leave Atlanta in the past two seasons. In addition, the Hawks have missed the playoffs for two consecutive seasons and have been eliminated in the first round in the previous two years. Trae Young's ability to lead the team to compete for the championship is highly questioned. Some media believe that Trae Young is one of the worst point guards in the NBA, and the Hawks have not been able to provide him with sufficient defensive support. However, the Rockets are one of the teams with excellent defense in the NBA and have enough talent to make up for Young's defensive shortcomings. And the Rockets sent away two players with weaker defense in this deal.

Trey Young is the absolute offensive firepower point. With his outstanding long shots and breakthrough ability, he averaged 24.2 points per game. At the same time, he is also one of the best NBA organizers, averaging 11.6 assists per game. Although Young may have more flaws than other candidates, he still has the ability to lead the Rockets into a championship contender.

5. Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies)

Rockets get: Ja Morant, John Conchar

Grizzlies get: Reed Shepard, Fred VanVreet, 2026 first-round draft pick, 2025 first-round draft pick (from the Suns), 2027 first-round draft pick (from the Suns)

Another point guard who may enter the trading market is Ja Morant. The Grizzlies, led by Morant, were in trouble in the first round, just weeks after the team fired Taylor Jenkins as head coach. Morant has top athleticism and basketball talent, but the Grizzlies may have been bored with his off-court behavior.

Morant has often become the focus of public criticism for misconduct. He was suspended twice in the 2023-24 season due to gun issues. He continued to use violence-related celebration moves last season and was punished by the league. He has frequent injuries during his young career, and his three-point shooting ability has not met the expectations of the Grizzlies.

Despite these problems, if the Rockets cannot get the above stars, Morant is the last choice. Morant has excellent physical fitness and strong ability to attack the basket. The two-time All-Star player is expected to re-establish his position as a top NBA player in Houston.

Once joining the Rockets, the opponent lacks enough defensive firepower to limit the speed of Morant and Thompson, and Shin Kyung will have the opportunity to play a more threatening pick-and-roll cooperation with Morant. However, playing around Morant's system, the Rockets still need to find more shooter wings to enhance the team's offensive space.