Rockets Have No Reason to Make Big Trade Before Deadline

The Houston Rockets will likely be radio silent at the NBA Trade Deadline.

Jan 27, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) reacts after Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) makes a three point basket in the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets are playing their best basketball of the year, beating the two best teams in the Eastern Conference in each of their last three games.

They now have the third-best record in the NBA behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder and they are only scratching the surface on what they can do.

Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes believes that the Rockets are not going to make a move at the trade deadline.

"Despite climbing the West ranks and possessing tons of valuable assets to use in a deal, the Houston Rockets will not make a significant trade. That's been general manager Rafael Stone's position since December, and the league seems to be buying it," Hughes writes.

The Rockets have the tools to make a big deal, but the timing is not meant for that to happen right now.

"Houston is poised to make a massive consolidation trade, but it's increasingly clear that Stone's stance is more than just posturing. Sometimes, it's smart to advertise you're not interested in dealing because it'll force potential trade partners to up their offers. But the consistency of Houston's position—particularly as it continues to knock off contenders and pile up wins—lends it an air of truth," Hughes writes.

"A team that would otherwise be ripe for major action doesn't seem ready to spice up a bland deadline.

"The glass-half-full perspective: Houston is just waiting for the Suns to collapse like the dying star they are, at which point it'll offer to return their future first-rounders for Devin Booker. That may not happen until 2026, but at least there's a possibility of the Rockets eventually taking a big swing."

The Rockets have no desperation because they are performing better than expected. The fact that they have leaped from the lottery to the top two teams in the Western Conference is a huge accomplishment, giving them an opportunity to wait on making a massive trade to see how this young core responds just by going out there themselves.

The Rockets are back in action tonight as they visit the Atlanta Hawks. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.

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