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Revisiting A Potential Rockets Acquisition Of Mikal Bridges

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 15: Mikal Bridges #1 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts after making a ... [+] three-point basket during the second half against the Miami Heat at Barclays Center on February 15, 2023 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Nets won 116-105. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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The Houston Rockets last season were widely rumored to be in pursuit of Brooklyn Nets swingman Mikal Bridges. Per some reports, they had been offering shooting guard Jalen Green and some combination of Brooklyn's own draft picks. Nets owner Joe Tsai's recent statements that he is pivoting towards building a more sustainable long-term future has rekindled speculation in regards to a Bridges trade to the Rockets.

As a result of the 2021 blockbuster trade which sent star guard James Harden to the Nets, Houston possesses control of all of Brooklyn's future draft capital until 2027. The Rockets were conveyed the third pick in this year's draft and own swap rights in 2025 and 2027; the Rockets own Brooklyn's draft pick in 2026 outright. Thus, Brooklyn does not maintain control of its own future, eliminating the one most common path towards a rebuild. Already, the Rockets used the 17th pick in the 2022 draft to select forward Tari Eason by way of the Nets' draft pick conveyed that season.

Bridges is the one piece on the Nets which might entice Rockets management to relinquish some of Brooklyn's draft capital. But after finishing with 41 wins last season, would Houston still have interest? And if so, how many assets would it take to get the Nets to budge?

On paper, the long-armed wing would fit almost flawlessly onto head coach Ime Udoka's roster. A career 38% three-point shooter, he would spread the floor and open up space for budding star center Alperen Sengun. An elite defender, Bridges would make an already stout defensive team even stronger. Playing next to forwards Jabari Smith Jr., Eason, Dillon Brooks, and guard Amen Thompson, Bridges could give Udoka the option to switch across multiple positions defensively.

But Bridges has just two years remaining on the four-year, $90 million contract he signed back in 2022 with the Phoenix Suns. He's slated to earn roughly $23 million this season and $24.9 million in 2025-2026 before hitting unrestricted free agency the following summer when he will be 30. That's around the same time when the Rockets will have difficult financial decisions to make upon the slew of first round draft picks they've selected at the top of the draft during their current rebuild. Already, Sengun and shooting guard Jalen Green are eligible for extensions as early as this summer. Smith and Eason will be eligible next summer, and then Thompson and fellow 2023 draftee Cam Whitmore the following summer.

At least some of this "Core 6" of prospects could eventually command a maximum salary or at least close to it. Each player has shown promise thus far in his career, to varying degrees. Sengun was in contention for an All-Star bid as recently as last season.

Another consideration might be whether Udoka would have the stomach to add another rookie prospect to his rotation and how many minutes such a player could hope to play on a team with playoff aspirations. Adding Bridges would immediately bolster a 41 win team closer to 50 wins and have far greater immediate impact than a rookie. Would Dillon Brooks and the third pick in this summer's draft be enough? Not likely. How many additional picks would it take to get the two sides to meet in the middle?

Rumor: Rockets Expected To Shop No. 3 Pick Ahead Of 2024 NBA Draft

After landing the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Houston Rockets are reportedly open to trading the selection to acquire a veteran player to add to their roster.

The Rockets have built through the draft in recent years, selecting players like Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore. The team also has veterans in Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks and will be looking to add to that core.

With the organization looking to take the next step in its rebuild, the front office will discuss potential trade packages with teams involving the third pick, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The No. 3 pick – one of five potential first-round picks the Rockets can trade this offseason in a package to land a star player – will be discussed in trade talks leading up to draft night, league sources told HoopsHype.

The Rockets jumped massively up the standings this season after posting a 41-41 record, which was a 19-game improvement from last year. The group, by led first-year coach Ime Udoka, had great stretches of the season and looked to be a team on the rise.

The team will likely look to continue to prioritize playing time for its veterans moving forward, making the No. 3 pick expendable. The pick is one of the Rockets' best assets, and the front office will be tasked with seeing how valuable it can be in trade discussions.

If the Rockets cannot find a trade partner and keep the pick, they will reportedly look to draft a guard with the pick. They could target the likes of Stephon Castle, Rob Dillingham, Reed Sheppard or Nikola Topić, among others.

The 2024 NBA draft will take place June 26-27 in New York City.

Story originally appeared on Rookie Wire

Rockets Address Major Deficiency In Latest Mock Draft

The top of the 2024 NBA Draft is the epitome of a crapshoot. It's not known what any team will do at this point in time.

Granted, it's never known what a team will do one month before the draft commences, unless there's a generational talent in the class, which isn't the case this year. The Houston Rockets could go several different directions, as they have a variety of needs.

The Rockets need more long-range shooters, as they ranked 23rd in 3-point shooting last season (35.2 percent) and were forced to turn to the likes of Aaron Holiday and Reggie Bullock in their plight for snipers, both of which will likely not be on the roster next season. Dillon Brooks was the Rockets' best shooter for much of the season, which isn't quite something one would expect. 

If the Rockets decide to address this need with the third pick, Reed Sheppard from Kentucky would be a great fit. The Rockets also have a need for a defensive enforcer around the rim, as they attempted to remedy this with Brook Lopez last summer, but were left hanging at the altar when Lopez opted to return to the Milwaukee Bucks. 

The latest mock draft from Nic Thomas, who is a renowned draft analyst, has the Rockets solidifying their front line by selecting Donovan Clingan, the Connecticut center. Thomas explained his reasoning.

"The perfect scenario for the Rockets, as they get a guy that I would have taken with the first pick should they have had it. Clingan is the perfect player to slot alongside a lineup of Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun.

Clingan is as close to a sure thing as you can get in this class. He is a dominant low-post defender, an elite rebounder with the capability to be a solid tertiary creator of ball screens and handoffs."

Thomas cited Walker Kessler as Clingan's NBA comparison. Questions remain about Clingan's ability to play alongside the aforementioned Sengun, due to his lack of shooting and/or spacing, but he'd surely give the Rockets a defensive anchor.

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