Rockets Trade Deadline Primer: Assets, Targets, Approach and a Wild Card

The Rockets have historically been a team that hasn’t shied away from making moves, be it aggressively adding talent, or extracting value from currently rostered players.

That could especially be the case at this year’s trade deadline, as the Rockets sit just below the contention line. They currently stand as the Western Conference’s No. 4 team, with talents such as Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun. But haven’t been consistent enough on either end to truly make waves.

With lead guard Fred VanVleet and center Steven Adams now out for the season, it seems the only option left for Houston to truly compete for a title this season is to make a deal at the deadline.

Below is all the information needed for an important few weeks ahead for Houston, including current assets, potential targets, their approach and a wild card:

The Assets: Players

Tari Eason: $5.6 million, impending restricted free agent

The Rockets likely want to keep as much of their team as intact as possible, though they do have a few potential assets to work with if the right deal presents itself. Tari Eason likely stands as the team’s best tradable asset currently, heading into restricted free agency this offseason.

Eason’s been an impact player for the Rockets for years now, offering a two-way wing that’s made double-digit scoring and stingy defense his calling card. He makes up one half of the ‘Terror Twins’ duo alongside Amen Thompson, playing some of the best defense on the team.

The only issues with Eason are his availability, at just 53 games-played across his first three seasons, and the potential price tag in RFA. Otherwise, Houston will surely want to keep him rostered.

Reed Sheppard, $10.6 million

After a slow rookie season, Reed Sheppard is breaking out in his sophomore year, averaging 12.8 points, 3.0 assists and 1.4 steals to go along with 39% 3-point shooting.

He’s certain to be a coveted part of the rotation moving forward, but could be a ‘break glass in case of emergency’ type of asset that would only be used in a trade for a superstar.

Dorian Finney-Smith, $12.7 million

Wing Dorian Finney-Smith signed a longterm deal with Houston in the offseason, and has only recently made his way into the rotation after sitting out due to injury.

He’s 32-years-old, and is averaging just 2.9 minutes across nearly 16 minutes per game.

Any value that Finney-Smith can glean on the market is likely worth it, given the Rockets didn’t give anything up to add him.

The Assets: Draft Picks

2026 Second Round Pick (via CHI)

2026 Second Round Pick

2027 First Round Pick Swap (via BKN)

2027 First Round Pick (via PHO)

2027 Second Round Pick (via MEM)

2027 Second Round Pick (via POR or NOP)

2028 First Round Pick

2028 Second Round Pick

2029 First Round Pick (via DAL or PHX)

2029 Second Round Pick (via SAC)

2030 First Round Pick

2031 First Round Pick

2031 Second Round Pick

2032 First Round Pick

The Assets: Exceptions

$12.5 million — Disabled Player Exception via Fred VanVleet

$3.54 — related to Cam Whitmore trade, expiring July 6, 2026

The Rockets can take on salary into these exceptions to help make a trade work financially in this new and more restrictive CBA.

Financial Situation

Salary: $201,330,454 million (14th), $1,255,588 million below the first apron, $13,134,588 million below the second apron.

The Rockets are below the first apron, and well below the second apron. Though there are a few wrinkles that make impending trades tougher. Amen Thompson will be able to sign his first extension in the offseason, and qualifies for a max deal. Even if that’s not asked for, he’ll be paid a pretty penny as an All-Defense player and top-four pick, limiting the team’s financial flexibility.

Additionally, one of the Rockets’ top earners in Fred VanVleet has a no-trade clause, meaning if he wants to stay in Houston, he can. That’s around $25 million that could be staying on the Rockets’ books regardless of their wishes.

The Rockets’ approach to the NBA trade deadline

Despite a lackluster season so far, Houston still operates from a position of power. With Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and a host of talented young players and draft picks, they won’t be hasty or desperate about making deals, giving themselves plenty of leverage.

Should they choose, they can easily run it back next season with a healthy VanVleet and Adams, who could solve most of their current issues.

If they want to make fringe deals to help with handling, play-making and rebounding they can, but they won’t be necessary for Houston to have a bright future.

Potential Trade Targets

That being said, the team could certainly stand to upgrade point guard or backup big depth.

VanVleet’s left a massive hole in the handling department, and Houston’s half-court offense has taken a hit. Adams has left an ever larger hole in the team’s frontcourt rotation, which helped to make up the best rebounding team in the league.

We previously touched on seven potential targets for Houston, which included Jose Alvarado, Dennis Schroder, Daniel Gafford, Tre Jones, Goga Bitadze, Jusuf Nurkic and Coby White.

You can read on for a more detailed explanation, but all the listed players are cost-effective targets that could help to solve the team’s present depth issues.

The Wild Card

Given the Rockets are already one of the best team's in the league, they're unlikely to make a big fish move. Especially seeing as they already did in the offseason with Kevin Durant. Even still, they're one of the more asset-rich teams in the league, and that could mean entering the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.

Should VanVleet want to play in Milwaukee, they'd have a few pathways to make a deal, offloading tons of picks and players, Amen Thompson notwithstanding. Assuming VanVleet would like to remain a Rockets — a near-guarantee at this point — a Giannis deal essentially can't be done without including one-time All-Star Alperen Sengun, which would sacrifice the team's future to build around 37-year-old Durant and 31-year-old Giannis.

A Rockets-Giannis pairing is obviously unlikely, but it at least needed to be said.

Conclusion

Given the above information, it seems the Rockets could simply wait to get their guys back before making brash decisions about the future. Which would seemingly be the correct decision.

Moves on the fringes can be made without expending major future assets, which likely would've come regardless of how Houston had fared so far this season.

Look for the Rockets to facilitate deals in the coming weeks, and potentially grab a lead guard or backup big at cost.