Houston Rockets predicted to land superstar guard to pair with Kevin Durant
· Yahoo Sports
Houston Rockets predicted to land superstar guard to pair with Kevin Durant originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Visit palladian.co.za for more information.
Major change could be coming to the roster of the Houston Rockets after they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Rockets could potentially look to trade some of their younger pieces for a more established star to pair with Kevin Durant, and one specific star could be available.
Rockets predicted to land Donovan Mitchell in offseason trade
Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley recently pitched the Rockets as a potential suitor and landing spot for Cleveland Cavaliers star guard Donovan Mitchell in an offseason trade.
Mitchell is eligible for an extension with the Cavs over the offseason, and if he doesn't sign it there's some speculation that Cleveland could look to try to move him. In that scenario, the Rockets could come calling.
"If a Mitchell trade feels outlandish, just know things could feel a lot different should the Cavaliers fall short of their postseason goals again. ... The Rockets just happen to have the kind of trade chips needed to get a megadeal done—and they might need a net-shredder more than anyone," Buckley wrote.
"Houston needs more consistent scoring, something-out-of-nothing creating and defense-bending shotmaking—basically everything Mitchell brings at his best. If the Rockets could pair him with Kevin Durant, they might make everyone forget just how rough their half-court offense has appeared on basketball's big stage."
Mitchell and Durant would be an undeniably potent offensive combination, but the Rockets would likely have to part with a lot to land him, which would cause the rest of the roster to suffer as a result.
Plus, Mitchell hasn't been the most reliable playoff performer over the course of his career, so relying on him to be the guy who can get you over the hump in the postseason could be risky. Perhaps it will be a risk the Rockets would be willing to take.
More NBA news:
- Nikola Jokic sends clear message regarding his future with Denver Nuggets
- LeBron James reveals why he never compared himself to Michael Jordan
- Steve Kerr leaves door open for Warriors return with latest comments
- Why the Knicks could try to trade Karl-Anthony Towns over the offseason
- Adam Silver drops major hint about LeBron James' NBA future