NBA Rumors: Insider reveals two Rockets who are 'untouchable' in trade talks
11/20/2024 04:51 PM
The Houston Rockets have gotten off to a good start in the 2024-2025 NBA season, and if they keep on this pace, the organization will want to consider adding ahead of the trade deadline. The Rockets have many young pieces to use in a potential trade, but that does not mean that they are willing to include anyone in trade talks. ESPN insider Brian Windhorst indicated that Tari Eason and Amen Thompson are essentially untouchable.
“The Rockets and Warriors are kind of in the same boat. They’re playing a lot of guys, they’ve got some young guys they like, and they’ve got picks at their disposal and players to trade,” Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective. “The question is will they like what they’ve got in January or will they look to upgrade. There are some teams that have been watching the Rockets, waiting to see if they move, and the message that they’ve sent out that those two guys, Tari Eason and Amen Thompson, guys that they’ve drafted in the last three years are untouchable. Now everything in life is a negotiation, especially in the NBA, but I’m told those guys are untouchable.”
It shows who is at the core of what the Rockets are building with this young team. They have accumulated a lot of talent in recent years, but it appears that the Rockets are prioritizing building around Eason and Thompson.
“It would have to be one heck of a return to get the Rockets to consider trading either one of those guys,” Tim MacMahon said. “They love those guys and I think they fit the mold that Ime Udoka wants in Houston.”
It will be interesting to see if the Rockets are able to sustain this level of play and establish themselves as a true contender in the Western Conference.
Who could Rockets include in a trade to bolster roster?
When looking at young players the Rockets could include in a trade, not counting Eason and Thompson, there are still some pieces that could be valuable to other teams. Jalen Green sticks out as an option, the former No. 2 overall pick from 2021, and he has been rumored in deals before. Jabari Smith is another option, along with Cam Whitmore.
The Rockets have been rebuilding for a while, but now they are in contention and building something, with chips to use in potential trades ahead of the deadline this year.
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