The Rockets Can't Be Saved By Just Any Superstar

The Houston Rockets are clearly not at a level to compete against the best the league has to offer. Their scoring potential is limited compared to teams that are fully staffed with a wide range of archetypes and players who can do multiple things well. The Rockets have several players who could be the second or third best player on a contending team, but they don't employ a true, MVP-caliber star to matchup with some of the generational talents that populate the Western Conference.

That's why the Rockets have been connected to superstars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kyrie Irving, as the NBA is well aware that teams like the Rockets don't have the firepower to keep up with teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs.

However, the Rockets can't just trade for a superstar, the pairing would have to serve the team well as the newly acquired player coexists with the players already on the team.

Though unlikely, if the Rockets were to swing for Antetokounmpo, they'd likely have to give away one of their top players who can't shoot well. Amen Thompson or Alperen Şengün would likely be on the block, as the they are impact players who are limited at times by their inability to score away from the basket.

Antetokounmpo is a dominant force, but he functions in the same spaces as Thompson and Şengün. Even if one is sent back to Milwaukee, the other will still have to occupy the same space for their scoring to support efforts from Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant. Furthermore, an Antetokounmpo trade would likely need another impact player like Jabari Smith Jr. or Tari Eason, taking even more spacing from the court.

Antetokounmpo's fit might not be the most natural with what would remain after a trade for the MVP player.

Irving is not an MVP caliber player, but he would bring a unique skill set to the team if he were to be added.

His contract would not require as much departing salary as Antetokounmpo's contract, and he would finally provide another elite ball handler to withstand pressure against tight defense.

His isolation shotmaking is elite, and the pairing between him and Durant has proven in the past to be a formidable combo.

Depending on what the Rockets must sacrifice for him, landing a star like Irving who can mitigate some of Houston's biggest issues could be a strong move for the team moving forward.

Whether the Rockets stick with their core or swing for a star, fitting the talents together is an important factor the front office must consider.

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