What Could Rockets Offer For De'Aaron Fox Look Like?

De'Aaron Fox is on the trade block and the Houston Rockets can offer a competitive package.

Mar 10, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) shoots against Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets are linked to the De'Aaron Fox trade rumors as the deadline rolls around this week.

Fox, a Houston native, reportedly wants to be traded by the Sacramento Kings to a contender, and the Rockets provide that kind of opportunity close to home.

Bleacher Report writer Zach Buckley imagines a trade where Fox and Kevin Huerter head to Houston for Fred VanVleet, No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard and a 2028 first-round pick (top 3 protected).

"Part of why it might make sense for the Kings to move Fox now is that he's clearly the most coveted player on the market. They can—and apparently will—ask for everything," Buckley writes.

"As ESPN's Shams Charania recently relayed, the Kings are on the hunt for both "win-now players" and "draft capital."

"Few teams can better scratch both itches than the Rockets. That's why it makes sense for Sacramento to see if Houston really isn't interested in Fox, who grew up in the area. If the Rockets are more willing to deal than they're letting on, the Kings could be in business.

"They could keep competitive in the present with VanVleet, who starts for the second-seeded Rockets and previously played a key role for the Toronto Raptors' 2018-19 title team.

"Long-term, they'd also get a lightly protected future first and Sheppard, a 20-year-old who might have the highest ceiling of any player selected last summer."

The Rockets should be players in the Fox sweepstakes, but it will be all about timing, and that isn't particularly on their side.

Houston has talked about not breaking up the core to acquire someone before Thursday's deadline, and while trading the seldom-used Sheppard and the current starting point guard in VanVleet doesn't gut the team, it will alter the chemistry a little bit.

Therefore, this isn't expected to be an offer that the Kings will get this week, but if Fox stays in Sacramento until season's end, Houston may bring up a similar proposal in the offseason.

The Rockets are back in action tomorrow night when they travel to the Big Apple to take on the New York Knicks.

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