What else is there to even talk about?
Maybe you’re convinced that the Rockets don’t need a point guard. Sure, their 126.5 Offensive Rating leads the NBA through five games.
Five games. Beating the Nets
and Raptors was never the objective. The Rockets are seeking a deep playoff run.
An (also) league-best 42.1 Offensive Rebounding percentage shouldn’t be dismissed as a band-aid solution, but it could be seen as a crutch. Last year, the Rockets bolstered a bad half-court attack with an endless reserve of extra possessions. It’s an interesting strategy, but it’s unlikely to land them in the Western Conference Finals. The Rockets are likely to flounder before that point if they don’t have a reliable ball-handler in the backcourt.
That’s not to say the organization needs to acquire that player this year. They could seize an opportunity to develop Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard as ball-handlers so that they’re more dynamic players when Fred VanVleet returns next year. That’s fine, but it comes with its own risks. Kevin Durant is a ticking time bomb: He’s every bit himself in 2025-26, but there are no assurances ahead of 2026-27.
It may still be most prudent to prioritize next season. Acquiring the big-name guards named in this piece would likely require VanVleet to waive his implied no-trade clause. VanVleet’s spiritual value in the locker room may be too critical, and the organization may prefer to preserve player goodwill rather than being callous.
Never mind all that. Let’s leave it here: If the Rockets do decide they need to trade for a point guard this year, it needs to be the right guy.
Let’s talk about who that might – and might not – be.
Rockets can’t go after just any star guard
As a white basketball writer, it feels downright icky to criticize a young black man on a personal level. Too many sportswriters use their platform as a conduit for thinly veiled racism.
With that said…
Ja Morant is undeniably petulant. There is a remarkable lack of self-awareness. He just cut a promo gave a post-game interview where he threw his teammates and coaching staff under the bus in one fell swoop.
It’s been a theme throughout his career. It might be worth dealing with his personality if he weren’t also a career 31.3% three-point shooter who’s hitting 15.6% of his triples so far in 2025-26. That’s a fatal flaw the Rockets in particular shouldn’t be investing in.
Wait, did somebody say Trae Young’s defense?
That’s another hard pass. Young is among the worst defenders in the NBA. Some will be indifferent. They’ll say the Rockets are uniquely built to inoculate Young.
I’m not sure that’s true, and even if it is, it’s moot.
Firstly, the Rockets aren’t designed to inoculate a bad defender. They’re philosophically designed to dominate on defense. The goal is to be 3rd in defense and 9th in offense, not 6th and 6th*.
*Rough estimates based on nothing.
Arguably, that’s myopic. It’s the net rating that matters, right? Fair, but the best teams have an identity. The Rockets don’t want to make their identity “Trae Young and defenders”.
Moreover, the Rockets don’t necessarily have the right defenders to shield Young anymore. With VanVleet’s injury and Dillon Brooks’ departure, the Rockets are left with a platoon of excellent help defenders, but they’re a bit light at the point of attack. Amen Thompson can check anybody, but deploying him as a man defender takes him away from his optimal “seismic event creator” role. If anything, acquiring a point guard could be an opportunity to fix that problem, and acquiring Young only exacerbates it.
Offensively, the Rockets also don’t want to take the ball out of Alperen Sengun’s hands to put it in Young’s. The Rockets don’t need a heliocentric playmaker. They need a 3-and-D guard who can also reliably handle the ball.
So…
Rockets could target a handful of guards
Colleague and all-around excellent dude Anthony “The game is about a bucket, and I’m a bucket” Duckett already identified Derrick White as the perfect option. His three-point efficiency is suffering as a primary playmaker on a depleted Boston squad, but we know he can shoot, defend, and handle the ball.
Speaking of Celtics leftovers, is Jrue Holiday long for the Blazers? It’s a situation worth monitoring. His contract is onerous, and the never-tanking Blazers probably want to keep him anyway. Still, if Scoot Henderson looks good upon return from an injury, they may start thinking about their roster construction.
Have you looked at Austin Reaves’ numbers in 2025-26? He’s averaging a hilarious 32.0 points and 9.0 assists per game. Clearly, we’re dealing with small sample theatre, but Reaves is legitimate. He does everything the Rockets need, although his pending contract negotiations could make life complicated.
Those are the only big names I am interested in with any remote chance of shaking loose. If anything, an under-the-radar option could be more viable. Mr. “All the way from Nantucket” Duckett also suggested Kris Dunn, who would be a great acquisition. The Bulls’ Ayo Dosunmo could be worth looking at as well, or the Pelicans’ Jose Alvarado.
On some level, the logic of “we need a point guard, let’s get Trae Young” is akin to “This wall has a crack in it, let’s bulldoze the house”. The Rockets just (might) need a guard who can shoot, defend the point of attack, and handle the ball.
If they got one, we might start talking about their NBA title odds.
