NBA Mock Trade: Houston Rockets Acquire Nick Richards from Phoenix Suns
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During the offseason, the Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets were involved in a seven-team blockbuster trade that sent Kevin Durant to Houston and Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and a first-round pick to Phoenix. After acquiring an elite scorer in Durant, the Rockets have gotten off to a strong start to the 2025–2026 NBA season, with a 26–15 record that has them in fourth place in the Western Conference. However, the team just took a major blow with Steven Adams being sidelined indefinitely due to a left ankle sprain. With their backup center expected to miss an extended period of time, Houston could look to find an upgrade ahead of the trade deadline.
The Rockets confirmed center Steven Adams is dealing with a Grade 3 ankle sprain, an injury marked by a complete tear of at least one of the ankle ligaments. The average time lost for G3 ankle sprains in the NBA is 62.9 days (~28 games).
— Jeff Stotts (@InStreetClothes) January 21, 2026
The Phoenix Suns entered the 2025–2026 NBA season with relatively low expectations after trading Durant, but they have surpassed them with a 27–17 start that has them in sixth place in the Western Conference. Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Collin Gillespie, Mark Williams, and Royce O’Neale have all made major contributions to the team’s success so far, and they are currently working Jalen Green back into the rotation as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. Still, the team isn’t viewed as a true championship contender this year, and they could look to move a veteran piece at the trade deadline in order to acquire future assets.
Houston Rockets- Phoenix Suns Mock Trade
Houston Rockets receive C Nick Richards
Phoenix Suns receive 2026 second-round pick
In this mock trade, the Houston Rockets would acquire a solid backup center in Nick Richards, and the Phoenix Suns would pick up an extra second-round pick in the 2026 NBA draft.
Fantasy Basketball Outlook
Nick Richards would be the biggest fantasy basketball benefactor in this trade. With Steven Adams sidelined indefinitely, the Rockets have open minutes at center. Right now, Clint Capela is in line to soak up those extra minutes, but he hasn’t shown much upside this year. In Phoenix, Richards is averaging just 9.1 minutes per game this season. If he were traded to Houston, he would most likely slide into the backup role, where Adams has averaged 22.8 minutes per game this year. When Richards played 22.0 minutes per game during the 2024–2025 NBA season, he posted 9.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.0 block per game.
Looking at Phoenix, Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro would benefit from the trade, since Richards’ departure would open up about nine extra minutes per game at the center position. Williams and Ighodaro would likely step into higher-volume roles in the Suns’ offense as they take on those extra minutes.
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Duke Deming is a sports writer with extensive experience in fantasy sports and DFS contests. He covers the MLB, NFL, and NBA for On SI, bringing sharp analysis and a data-driven approach to inform and engage readers.