The Houston Rockets should head into the regular season with the core they currently have. Sure, the mix of young talent and veterans makes for an interesting rotation, but they should at least try.
The current roster deserves a chance, but that doesn’t rule out a regular-season trade, especially since Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun are both expected to sign rookie contracts. If general manager Rafael Stone wants to go in a particular direction, an in-season trade could be the way to go.
Could the Chicago Bulls be a potential trade partner for the Rockets? We know Houston wants to get back to the playoffs, but they may not be able to do so with their current roster. The natural development of their young core combined with their immediate winning talents could make that happen, but it’s far from guaranteed.
The Bulls are headed for a rebuild. DeMar DeRozan is now a member of the Sacramento Kings, which allows the organization to head for a rebuild. They traded Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey.
Chicago still has some talented players to part with, including Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic and more. With Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks on the Rockets roster, adding one of those players along with what’s left of the young core after a trade could build a playoff-worthy team.
The Rockets could, however, target an underrated talent from Chicago. Coby White emerged last season, but there’s a chance Houston could snag his talents, offering Green and his star potential.
The Bulls could pair Green with Giddey, continuing to evolve their current roster and ushering in a new era. White is a better catch-and-shoot player with more efficiency and playmaking than Green.
A trade between the two sides would make sense if done right, but it’s hard to imagine the two sides ultimately making a trade between themselves. The most likely scenario is that the Rockets end up letting Green become a restricted free agent next season, which would allow the market to determine itself.
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