Houston Rockets Use Trade Leverage To Strengthen Playoff Contention Amid Kevin Durant Era

The Houston Rockets, after acquiring Kevin Durant and losing Fred VanVleet to a season-ending ACL injury, have been adjusting their roster to remain competitive in the Western Conference. Despite a strong offensive start this season, the Rockets face depth issues in their guard rotation, with Reed Sheppard and Josh Okogie providing limited impact. Trade proposals suggest Houston could benefit from acquiring Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, who brings championship experience and two-way play, in a three-team deal involving the Brooklyn Nets that would also shuffle draft picks and younger players. This trade would allow the Rockets to strengthen their backcourt for a playoff push while the Celtics receive younger assets and cap relief amid a transitional season. Additionally, Houston holds valuable draft pick swap rights with Brooklyn and Phoenix, assets that could be leveraged for further trades or roster improvements. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans consider rebuilding strategies that might include trading Jordan Poole to Houston, adding a scoring guard to complement Durant and accelerate the Rockets' championship aspirations.