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NBA Mock Trade: Rockets Trade For Pelicans' Superstar
With the NBA trade deadline approaching in February, it feels like the calm before the storm for various teams.
So far, the Rockets have reportedly been reluctant to even consider including their young core of players in deals. But the front office is certainly still doing its due diligence on how to upgrade the roster. And while the future of the team's core is tantalizing, packaging a few together in order to land a big fish on the market is, too.
As it stands now, the Pelicans sit at 8-32, good for the second-worst record in the entire league, and worst in the West. Worst of all, while forward Zion Williamson has returned to the lineup from injury, he's still missed a vast majority of the team's games so far this season.
While immensely talented in his own right, Williamson's lack of availability has certainly taken its toll on the team's record in recent years. And with the organization primed to take home a potential three to five pick in the loaded 2025 NBA Draft, now could be the time to officially sell on the forward's talents.
While Houston hasn't shown the indication that they'll consolidate the roster and go after a big star just yet, that could very well be the case, if one comes available. And while Williamson has missed significant time so far in his career, he's still one of the most dynamic players on Earth, when healthy.
Here, we'll look at what a potential deal between Houston and New Orleans could look like:
Houston Rockets get: Zion Williamson, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Daniel Theis New Orleans Pelicans get: Dillon Brooks, Reed Sheppard, Cam Whitmore, 2025 Rockets FRP, 2027 Rockets FRP, 2027 Suns FRP, 2029 Suns FRP, 2029 Rockets Swap, 2031 Rockets SwapIn this deal, Houston gets its superstar by consolidating the likes of Brooks — who is needed for money purposes — along with young up-and-coming players in Reed Sheppard, Cam Whitmore. For a player of Williamson's magnitude early in his deal, four future firsts and two swaps is a likely price.
Williamson would immediately slot in as the starting power forward alongside Alperen Sengun in the front court, creating a highly dynamic duo with Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green and Amen Thompson filling out the rest of the starting five. In reserve would be Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., Steven Adams, Aaron Holiday and more.
The combination of Williamson's athleticism and Sengun's skill on the interior would be hard for most teams to contend with, and scoring threats and stingy defenders fill out the rest of the rotation.
The Rockets are obviously gambling on a clean bill of health for Williamson, but one that could pay massive dividends if he can stay on-court.
The Pelicans add Sheppard and Whitmore to its already-solid young core, as well as a host of draft picks that it could use down the road, or to add even more talent across the league. Brooks is added as a flipper for another contending team.
While the deal is ultimately a long shot on a few fronts, it never hurts to evaluate what a superstar consolidation trade could look like for Houston, and if it would be worth it to sacrifice the young core, which in this case it might not be.
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5 Kelowna Rockets Named To NHL Central Scouting Mid-season Rankings
Newly acquired Hayden Paupanekis is the Kelowna Rockets top ranked skater, according to the NHL Central Scouting mid-term rankings.
NHL Central Scouting has released their mid-season rankings and five Kelowna Rockets made the cut.
The list ranks the best 224 North American and International hockey players who are draft-eligible for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Out of the five Rockets on the list, four of them have been acquired in trades over the last couple of months.
Here is how the Rockets shape up on the list:
Paupanekis was acquired by the Rockets on Wednesday, Jan. 8 from the Spokane Chiefs. In 41 games this season between the two teams, he's scored 11 goals and added 15 assists.
Sharpe, the pride of Ladner, B.C., became a Rocket on Monday, Jan. 6 in a trade that sent Caden Price to Lethbridge. He's nearly a one per game defenceman this season as he has 31 points (four goals, 27 assists) in 38 games this year.
Acquired in a trade with Swift Current, Gerwing potted a goal and added an assist in his Kelowna debut on Jan. 10. In 29 games this campaign, he has 12 points.
The Rockets acquired Corbet from the Medicine Hat Tigers back on Nov. 14, 2024. The 6'2" defenceman has four goals and eight assists this season.
On Central Scouting North American goaltender list, Rockets goaltender Jake Pilon ranks 23rd out of 32. In 19 games, Pilon is 8-6-1-0 with a .890 save percentage and a 3.58 goals against average.
No West Kelowna Warriors made the mid-term list.
The Rockets are back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 15 when they welcome Andrew Cristall in his return to Kelowna and the Spokane Chiefs to Prospera Place. Puck drop is at 7:05 p.M.
Are The Houston Rockets A Legitimate Title Contender In The NBA?
In a major road win, the Houston Rockets defeated the Memphis Grizzlies last night, 119-115. In another excellent offensive output from the Rockets, they held on to beat one of the best teams in the league, and now sit at 25-12.
Houston and Memphis are in a tight race for the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, as the Grizzlies are 24-14. This win gives the Rockets a little bit of breathing room as we near the halfway point of the regular season. While gaining separation is important, the win also proved that Houston could be a legitimate title contender in the NBA with an impressive resume thus far.
The biggest strength for the Rockets is their defense. Ranking third in defensive rating (107.0), Houston applies suffocating pressure both inside and out of the paint. Wing defenders Dillon Brooks, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, and others are known to be pests while giving solid output on the other side of the ball.
On offense, Houston is starting to improve. After starting the season toward the middle of the pack in terms of offensive rating, the Rockets are now 11th in that category, led by Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Fred VanVleet. Thompson, who is stepping in for the injured Jabari Smith Jr., is elite as a starter, averaging 17.0 points when given the opportunity.
While the Oklahoma City Thunder are the clear No. 1 team in the West, Houston is not far behind. The Rockets lead the season series over the Grizzlies 2-0 while being down to the Thunder in the season series by just one game (2-1). Houston is starting to build a resume good enough to legitimize title contention.
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