Chris Paul-Russell Westbrook Trade Cited as 'Haunting Deal' for Rockets

Not really.

Sep 2, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Houston Rockets guard Russell Westbrook (0) dribbles the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul (3) during the second half of game seven of the first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets' rebuild is long over. No one even mentions it anymore.

The Rockets still have valuable draft picks in their treasure trove, thanks to the James Harden trade with the Brooklyn Nets in 2021, which have turned into the Phoenix Suns' 2027 and 2029 first-round picks.

However, their 2026 first-round pick will be heading to the Oklahoma City Thunder, unless it's a top-four pick, which would mean Houston had a major disappointment of a season. In other words, that pick is heading to the Thunder. 

It traces back to the Russell Westbrook trade in 2019 that sent Chris Paul to the Oklahoma City Thunder, along with 2024 and 2026 first-round picks, in addition to pick swaps in 2021 and 2025. 

Houston only got one year from Russell Westbrook, and Paul's Thunder finished with an identical 44-28 record. In fact, both teams faced each other in the playoffs, which led to a seven-game, battle-tested bloodbath.

The trade was pinpointed by Bleacher Report as the trade that's still haunting the Rockets in 2025.

"In July 2019, the Rockets were clinging to fading hopes of making a championship run with James Harden and tried this deal out of desperation. It effectively flatlined those dreams for good and shifted everything for the franchise.

Westbrook was always a strange choice to slot alongside Harden. The bearded baller did his best work with off-ball shooters, and Westbrook is very much an on-ball player (without a reliable jumper). The partnership predictably failed—Houston was knocked out of the second round in just five games—and everything cratered shortly thereafter.

Westbrook, Daryl Morey and Mike D'Antoni all exited Houston that offseason, and Harden demanded his ticket out shortly into the 2020-21 campaign. While the pick swaps didn't convey, one of the firsts was spent on intriguing playmaker Nikola Topić while the other holds only top-four protection in next summer's draft."

Both Harden and Westbrook were All-NBA selections that season, as the Rockets adopted the small ball strategy to maximize Westbrook's athleticism and ability to drive to the basket, pitting him one-on-one against opposing centers, which was a nightly mismatch. 

However, the Rockets ultimately traded Westbrook (and Harden) by the following season. Fortunately for Houston, the Harden trade helped offset the picks lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder (along with a stroke of help from Lady Luck in the draft lottery).