Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets reportedly could be key players leading up to Thursday's NBA trade deadline even if they don't land a big-name player.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Houston is considered "highly unlikely" to make a major acquisition prior to the deadline, but the Rockets have told teams they would be interested in being a facilitator in three-team trades.

The Rockets can't be completely ruled out of the running for a superstar addition, though, as Sam Amick, David Aldridge and Anthony Slater of The Athletic reported Tuesday that Houston is "contemplating a pursuit" of Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant, and is likely to revisit its long-held interest in Suns guard Devin Booker before the deadline as well.

It is far from guaranteed that the Suns will move Durant or Booker, but ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported Tuesday that the Suns listed Durant as doubtful for Wednesday's game with an ankle injury amid reports that Phoenix is listening to trade offers involving him.

While KD may be dealing with an ailment, it could also be a strategic decision on Phoenix's part in case some type of deal is reached.

After missing the playoffs in four consecutive seasons, the Rockets are finally back in the thick of the postseason race with the third-best record in the Western Conference at 32-18.

Houston's young core of Jalen Green, Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson has blossomed, plus veterans Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks are playing key roles in supporting and leading them.

The Rockets boast one of the deepest and most talented rosters in the NBA, as evidenced by the fact that 2023 first-round pick Cam Whitmore and rookie No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard have struggled to secure consistent playing time.

Fischer pointed to that depth as a primary reason why the Rockets aren't expected to make any big moves on trade front.

The Rockets do have plenty of tradable salary to use to their advantage, though, including the expiring contracts of Steven Adams, Jeff Green and Jae'Sean Tate.

That, coupled with the fact that they are $10.2 million under the luxury tax, makes the Rockets one of the most flexible teams in the league and the ideal choice for a trade facilitator.

Teams are often able to pick up some extra draft capital by being the third team in a three-team deal, which is likely why that role is reportedly so attractive to Houston's front office.

As much as the Rockets are likely happy with their standing and would perhaps like to allow their young players to continue growing together, Amick, Aldridge and Slater suggested that the speed of Houston's ascent to the top could have potentially changed the team's overall outlook.

If the opportunity to add a player like Durant or Booker becomes real, doing so could put the Rockets in the conversation of being the top team in the Western Conference along with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Even if nothing materializes on that front, though, it sounds like the Rockets will have a significant hand in how things play out on deadline day.

The Houston Rockets don't seem inclined to break up their young core to acquire a star ahead of Thursday's NBA trade deadline.

Well, unless Devin Booker is on the table, that is.

According to SI.com's Chris Mannix, "Houston continues to take a very disciplined approach to this trade deadline. The Rockets, arguably the NBA's biggest surprise this season, have not expressed any interest in engaging with teams about any of their top young talent. As one exec put it, 'Unless you are calling them about Booker, they are not interested.'"

The Rockets don't have much reason to jump the gun on breaking up their young core.

The team is currently 32-17, third in the Western Conference. The core group of Jalen Green (22 years old), Alperen Şengün (22), Amen Thompson (22), Jabari Smith Jr. (21), Tari Eason (23), Cam Whitmore (21) and Reed Sheppard (20) is on the same timeline and arguably ahead of schedule given the team's fantastic start to the 2024-25 season.

Green (21.5 PPG), Şengün (19.1 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 5.0 APG) and Thompson (13.9 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 1.2 BPG) in particular look like franchise cornerstones. And the Rockets have surrounded them with complementary veterans like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, creating one of the NBA's deepest rotations in the process.

Houston also has solid draft capital going forward, including first-round swap rights with the Brooklyn Nets in 2027, an unprotected first from the Phoenix Suns in 2027, a 2029 first-round pick from either Dallas or Phoenix and its own first-rounders between 2028-31.

Their young core, alongside those future draft assets, gives them two paths going forward.

The first is the Oklahoma City Thunder approach. The Thunder have largely avoided making a giant splash on the trade market, instead allowing a talented core to grow together while maintaining future flexibility. It has helped that the team has a superstar in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and has nailed a number of draft picks, in particular on Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Aaron Wiggins.

The second approach is the one the San Antonio Spurs have taken. The Spurs have an ascending superstar in Victor Wembenyama and solid young players like Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Stephon Castle, Jeremy Sochan and Julian Champagnie. But the Spurs were also flush with future draft capital and decided to use some of it to improve immediately, acquiring De'Aaron Fox over the weekend.

That approach maintained the team's young talent and many of its best future draft assets while still improving the team in the short term, allowing them to make a playoff push in the next few seasons while still keeping a young core intact. Wemby makes them a threat both now and in the future, and the Spurs are well-positioned on both timelines.

But the Rockets are in a better roster situation than the Spurs were before they pulled the trigger on a Fox deal. They are better positioned to take more of a Thunder approach, in other words—unless a star like Booker becomes available, that is.

NBA legend Carmelo Anthony offered a word of advice to Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler this week amid his ongoing drama ahead of the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline.

Speaking on the Wave Original show 7PM in Brooklyn (beginning at the 1:34:38 mark), Melo urged Butler to have a conversation with Heat president Pat Riley about trading him if he doesn't want to be there:

"Now it's different levels of conversations trickling down Jimmy. So because of that you have to figure out a way either you in with us or you out and if you out go to Pat, have a conversation with Pat. They suspending you indefinitely because that's the most minor way of handling this. You know how crazy it is to feel like you ain't, you not with nobody and you with somebody. That's very difficult. So my advice to Jimmy, you got to sever this s--t. Your money is your money. It ain't about money. This is about now. But you gotta figure out your next move because your next move may be your best and last move."

Butler is in the midst of his third team-issued suspension over the past month due to conduct detrimental to the team.

The first suspension was for seven games, and as part of it, the Heat announced that they would listen to trade offers involving Butler. He was then suspended two games for missing a team flight.

Butler's current suspension is indefinite after he walked out of a team practice on Monday.

In terms of where Butler could potentially land if a trade is agreed upon, Anthony named the Houston Rockets as a team that would make sense:

"A team better take a chance on Jimmy Butler. It's the right situation that Jimmy has to go to. Houston could use Jimmy Butler. If we're talking about wanting to win or trying to win. Houston would be that spot. They got a younger team, they got a couple vets. They play hard, they physical. They got a dope coach in Ime [Udoka]. ... I just think personally it comes down to … You got to have a real conversation with Jimmy. Are you in or are you out? Let me know. ... So I'm going to work this with you. You can't keep doing this. The s--t was funny, it was cool at first but now it's affecting business. Right. So everybody's looking at you now like you affect they business."

The Rockets are second in the Western Conference with a 32-15 record, and they are primarily led by a young core comprised of Alperen Şengün, Jalen Green, Amen Thompson and the currently injured Jabari Smith. They also have a couple of key veterans in Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks.

While Butler has been a distraction in Miami this season, he is a 35-year-old veteran with six All-Star selections and two NBA Finals appearances to his credit.

He has been productive this season when he has played, averaging 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game, while shooting 54.0 percent from field.

Butler also has a history of raising his level of play during the postseason, as he has averaged 24.7 points per game over his four playoff runs with the Heat.

Given that Butler could opt out of his contract to become a free agent during the offseason, he would perhaps be a low-risk, high-reward acquisition for a Rockets team that is very much in championship contention.

It's safe to say Dillon Brooks was not happy with the Houston Rockets' performance in a 120-119 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night.

Brooks told reporters after the game the Rockets "crumbled" in blowing an eight-point lead in the final five minutes against the Grizzlies.

"We should have blew them out," Brooks said. "We just fell into their game and we just crumble every time. We just got to get stops, stop turning over the ball."

The Rockets led this game by as many as 11 points in the first half. They did take the lead early in the fourth quarter, but Houston stormed back to go ahead 115-107 with 6:18 remaining.

Houston's offense went scoreless for the next four minutes until Tari Eason's layup with 2:21 left to play. The Grizzlies went on a 7-0 run in between to get within one point.

It looked like the Rockets were going to hold on when Jalen Green made two of three free throws to make the score 119-114 with 1:54 remaining. Two quick buckets by the Grizzlies got them within one point.

Brooks fouled Jaren Jackson Jr. with eight seconds left that allowed the Grizzlies forward to make two free throws to put his team ahead 120-119. Fred VanVleet did get a look from three for the win, but his attempt missed to end Houston's four-game winning streak.

The Grizzlies were able to win without Ja Morant, who sat out due to a shoulder injury. Their 120 points tied the fifth-most the Rockets have allowed in a game this season.

There's no shame in losing to a Memphis team that has the third-best record in the Western Conference (32-16). The Rockets (32-15) did miss an opportunity to put a little breathing room between themselves and the Grizzlies for the No. 2 seed.

Fred VanVleet and the Houston Rockets "have mutual interest" in an extension, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.

Both team and player are "motivated" to keep VanVleet in Houston beyond his $44.9 million club option for the 2025-26 season, according to Fischer.

"The Rockets will have the chance to decline VanVleet's option and rework a multi-year deal this summer," Fischer wrote.

Houston signed VanVleet ahead of the 2023-24 season. The point guard has started all 116 games he has played for the franchise so far.

Reworking the deal could allow the Rockets to work out something to pay VanVleet a lower annual salary over a longer period of time.

VanVleet, who is currently earning about as much per year as Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić, is likely making above market value for his offensive production level. The veteran guard is averaging 14.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.9 assists while recording 1.7 steals per game.

That's not to say his initial signing wasn't worth it for the Rockets. Coach Ime Udoka was charged with rebuilding the Rockets' identity in 2023 following three straight seasons with a win percentage below .275.

The Rockets went on to orchestrate one of the quickest turnarounds in the NBA by finishing Udoka's first campaign at the helm with a .500 win percentage.

Udoka said in December that was in part because of the way VanVleet and fellow veteran Dillon Brooks helped shape the Rockets' new "defensive mentality," per ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

"We can only say so much and teach so much and try to scheme around guys so much," Udoka said, per MacMahon. "But to have guys out there that do it on a nightly basis that have carved out their niche in the league with toughness and that edge, that defensive mentality, it was invaluable for our team. We needed it."

MacMahon went on to write that VanVleet is considered "an extension of the coaching staff on the court and in the locker room."

For a team led by young stars including Amen Thompson, Jalen Green, Alperen Şengün and Jabari Smith Jr., that kind of veteran presence could be key as the Rockets find themselves on track to potentially make the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.

VanVleet, who will turn 31 in February, spent the first seven seasons of his NBA career with the Toronto Raptors. He helped the franchise win its first championship in 2019 before arriving in Houston to help Udoka rebuild the Rockets.

Despite sitting in second place in the Western Conference and boasting a haul of future draft picks, the Houston Rockets don't seem like they will put themselves in the market for De'Aaron Fox.

On the latest episode of The Hoop Collective Podcast (starts at 16:05 mark), ESPN's Tim Bontemps noted there's no sense the Rockets will attempt to pursue the 27-year-old.

"I checked in after the Shams spoke to De'Aaron Fox thing," he said. "I think this summer, depending on how things played out, Fox would have been a serious consideration for them. But again, I don't think the Rockets are going to get involved here."

ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Tuesday that the Sacramento Kings are expected to open trade talks involving Fox prior to the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 6 in part because he has not shown a willingness to sign a long-term extension.

One potential complicating factor for interested teams is Fox and his representatives have a target destination in mind, with Charania citing the San Antonio Spurs being among the clubs believed to be atop his preferred list.

There's always the possibility that Fox gets traded to a club that's not the Spurs, settles in nicely and decides to sign a new contract. But if the organization doesn't receive any assurance ahead of time, it's hard to imagine the front office feeling comfortable giving up all that it would take to get Fox from the Kings.

The Rockets are one of the few teams that could almost certainly meet Sacramento's trade demands without really thinking that much about it. They have 10 first-round draft picks between 2025 to '31, including two potentially extremely valuable selections in '27 when they have swap rights with the Brooklyn Nets and an unprotected pick from the Phoenix Suns.

This would also seem like the time for Houston to make a big move that would fortify its status as a top-tier contender in the Western Conference. Head coach Ime Udoka's team is currently second in the West with a 32-14 record on the strength of an elite defense.

If the Rockets could find a go-to scoring option for their offense, they would have the ingredients to at least challenge a team like the Oklahoma City Thunder.

There will almost certainly come a point when the Rockets want to cash in with a major move using their draft capital, but they may be preaching patience right now because the free-agent class of 2026 looks very strong at this point.

Fox is under contract through the 2025-26 season. He's averaging 25.2 points on 46.8 percent shooting, 6.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game in 43 starts for the Kings this season.

The Kings have been playing much better under interim head coach Doug Christie. They are 11-4 in 15 games since firing Mike Brown and have moved within two games of the Los Angeles Clippers for the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference.

The Atlanta Hawks poked fun at the brief TikTok ban, using Carmelo Anthony's short 2018 stint with the team to draw a parallel to the situation.

tiktok being banned phase pic.twitter.com/SGPtpZ9vrt

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 19, 2025

Anthony was famously traded to the Hawks from the Oklahoma City Thunder after the 2018 season, only for Atlanta to buy out his contract before he ever suited up for the team. This made his stint with the Hawks a mere footnote in his career.

Despite this, the Hawks still made an Anthony jersey and posted the threads on social media with the caption, "Hey @carmeloanthony your jersey is on it's way...good luck, fam!"

Instead, Anthony joined the Houston Rockets that summer, where he played just 10 games and averaged 13.4 points. The following year, he signed with the Portland Trail Blazers for two seasons before wrapping up his career with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021-22.

TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, shut down the app in the United States just hours before Sunday's deadline after the Supreme Court upheld a law banning it over concerns about its ties to China.

STATEMENT FROM TIKTOK:

In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170…

— TikTok Policy (@TikTokPolicy) January 19, 2025

The shutdown sent social media into a frenzy, though it was short-lived. TikTok was back online in the U.S. on Sunday, with the company announcing its return in a social media statement.

The Houston Rockets have been one of the biggest surprises of the first half of the 2024-25 season, ranking second in the Western Conference with a 26-12 record.

However, that hasn't stopped the Rockets from eyeing potential trade targets ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline, as ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported on Wednesday's episode of The Hoop Collective (16:39 mark) that "they've let it be known that they are Devin Booker fans."

MacMahon added that there's "no indication" that the Phoenix Suns are interested in dealing away the star guard.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst doubled down on the Suns retaining Booker, responding to MacMahon, "I don't see any wavering on that whatsoever." MacMahon agreed but pointed out that the Rockets own significant draft capital that originally belonged to the Suns thanks to an offseason trade with the Brooklyn Nets, who owned the future assets from Phoenix thanks to the Kevin Durant trade in 2023.

It's easy to see why Houston, like most teams around the NBA, is a fan of Booker. The 28-year-old is one of the most talented offensive players in the league, averaging 25.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game this year.

However, as the Rockets continue to perform at a high level, bringing in a player of Booker's caliber could disrupt the team's chemistry. Houston has a young core led by a bevy of recent first-round draft picks, including Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson. Green, who leads the team with 21.0 points per game, has found a groove recently and is averaging 30.0 points on 51.2 percent shooting and 45.6 percent from beyond the arc in the month of January.

Still, Houston is ahead of schedule as it turns the corner on its rebuild. Adding Booker or another star could put the Rockets over the top as a true contender for an NBA title.

For now, Houston will focus on trying to earn its fifth straight win when it faces the Denver Nuggets (24-15) on Wednesday night.

Following the Houston Rockets' 120-118 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night, fans lauded 22-year-old Jalen Green for his electrifying performance, scoring 42 points to tie his career high.

In addition to Green's 42 points, he contributed three rebounds and four assists, shooting an efficient 13-of-18 from the field and 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Dillon Brooks had a quieter outing, finishing with nine points, five rebounds and two assists.

On the other side, Ja Morant led the Grizzlies with 29 points, four assists and four steals, shooting 11-of-24 from the field in the loss. Rookie Zach Edey struggled offensively, recording just two points and seven rebounds, with only one on the offensive glass.

With the win, the Rockets improved to 26-12 on the season, while Grizzlies dropped to 25-15, snapping their two-game losing streak to the Rockets this season.

Fans flooded social media with praise for Green's standout performance on Monday night:

Genuinely might be the best game of Jalen Green’s career. pic.twitter.com/gmCnE1mDKq

— ᵂᴵᴸᴸ (@BiasedHouston) January 14, 2025

JALEN MF GREEN TONIGHT:

42 POINTS
13/18 FG
5/6 3P

🔥🔥🔥 (via @realapp_) pic.twitter.com/A1IybKaBXI

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 14, 2025

Jalen Green got my respect man #Fairs pic.twitter.com/40yjcFKdDs

— BIGMEM12 (@BIGMEM12) January 14, 2025

Players know. Coaches know.

I'm telling y'all. Stop giving any of these national "podcast analysts" any more validity than they deserve.

Simply no way they watch full games.

It's been obvious for a while now, Jalen Green has been becoming a winning player. pic.twitter.com/UCwlC7wCcu

— Don Dougan (@don_dougan) January 14, 2025

JALEN GREEN IS HAVING THAT NIGHT AGAIN 🔥 pic.twitter.com/vtCAqVMvMy

— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) January 14, 2025

Jalen Green and Amen Thompson tonight pic.twitter.com/zMMyYZbe5O

— ᵂᴵᴸᴸ (@BiasedHouston) January 14, 2025

Jalen Green in win over Grizzlies:

42 PTS (ties career-high)
13-18 FG
5-6 3PT

Rockets are now 7-0 this season when he goes for 30+.pic.twitter.com/72TcPizN1q

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) January 14, 2025

jalen green with the best game of his career, amen masterclass down the stretch and we’re 3-0 against the 3 seed. wow

— jeff (@DedicationHoops) January 14, 2025

Morant kicked off the scoring for both teams, knocking down a 26-foot three-pointer just 15 seconds into the game, followed by a Desmond Bane three-pointer of his own as the Grizzlies grabbed a quick 6-0 lead.

On the other end, Green scored 11 points from the field in the first quarter to help keep the Rockets in the game, though they trailed 30-23 after the opening period.

FVV on the theft 👋

JG on the SLAM 💥 pic.twitter.com/UEpz22cGWU

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) January 14, 2025

The Rockets erupted in the second quarter, outscoring Memphis 31-24 thanks to Cam Whitmore, who recorded 10 points in the period to get Houston back into the game. Despite the Rockets' surge, the Grizzlies held a narrow 60-57 lead heading into halftime.

wham bam CAM WHITMORE 🔨 pic.twitter.com/YuRY3AjL7O

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) January 14, 2025

The third quarter proved to be a tightly contested battle as the two teams traded baskets back and forth, led by Memphis' Bane, who posted 14 points from the field.

Tensions flared between Brooks and his former team in the third quarter, when Bane pushed Brooks as Jaren Jackson Jr. shot a free throw. The altercation sparked a series of chippy exchanges, ultimately resulting in a technical foul on Bane.

😏😏😏@JalenGreen pic.twitter.com/8zbpOrGwyF

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) January 14, 2025

JALEN. FREAKIN. GREEN. pic.twitter.com/8n86DiulgR

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) January 14, 2025

Memphis entered the fourth quarter with a 92-87 lead, but Houston kept the pressure on, outscoring the Grizzlies in the final frame. A layup by Green with 33.1 seconds left gave Houston a 116-115 lead, ultimately securing the victory for the Rockets.

On Wednesday, the Rockets will face the Denver Nuggets on the road.

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. will miss four-to-eight weeks after suffering a fractured left hand during his team's Friday shootaround.

Houston head coach Ime Udoka revealed the news to assembled media Friday, per Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston.

Udoka specified: left hand, metacarpal

— Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) January 3, 2025

The 21-year-old Smith is in his third NBA season after the Rockets selected him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Auburn. He's averaged 11.9 points and 6.5 rebounds while starting every game for the 22-11 Rockets, who sit third in the Western Conference.

Udoka added that Smith will undergo surgery (h/t Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle). The surgery date is to-be-determined until Houston confirms the injury's severity following a second opinion.

Amen Thompson will take Smith's spot in the starting lineup in the meantime, per Udoka (h/t Adam Spolane of SportsRadio 610).

The Rockets host the Boston Celtics Friday, but Thompson still needs to sit the second matchup of his two-game suspension levied following his role in a skirmish with the Miami Heat last Sunday. Udoka did not reveal who will start for Smith against the C's.

This is a tough blow for a young and surging Rockets team that's taken a big leap from last year, when Houston went 41-41 and finished 11th in the Western Conference.

Kelly Iko of The Athletic provided more insight.

Losing Jabari Smith Jr. for an extended stretch is killer for Houston — advanced stats paint a different picture re: impact, but Smith’s rebounding, two-way versatility and floor spacing all been critical to their success. Not really a plug-and-play replacement, either.

— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) January 3, 2025

Hopefully Smith is back on the sooner end of the four-to-eight week timeline as the Rockets look to continue their great season.