Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Houston Rockets
If the Rockets were to make a move and trade away Victor Oladipo, they would definitely want some young talent in return, the only question is whether or not they would be willing to accept a veteran guy like J.J. Redick. While he would have no future in Houston, the Rockets could easily turn this trade into a three-team deal, sending Redick to a playoff contender in exchange for more draft picks.
While he is 36-years old, Redick is still a valuable name in the NBA and the Rockets could likely flip him for a first-round pick if they wanted to. If they decide to keep him, he is on an expiring contract and the Rockets would free up $13M after this season to spend in free agency next offseason.
Lonzo Ball on the other hand is a player the Rockets would want to keep for a while. Right now, Ball has usually started the game next to Eric Bledsoe on the court in a “two-guard” lineup. He is more than capable of playing off the ball and the improvements he has made with his jump-shot makes him a very valuable player.
Next to John Wall, Lonzo Ball could be a high-impact, two-way player for the Rockets for years to come, solidifying their backcourt. While he is not a superstar type talent, Ball can rebound, pass, score and play very reliable one-on-one defense, making him a very valuable asset for any team in the league.
The best part about this trade for the Houston Rockets is the first-round pick they receive from New Orleans. While it is likely to be an end of the first-round type of pick, any first-round pick is valuable and this pick can easily be packaged together with one or two second-round picks to allow the Rockets to move up further in the first-round in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Whether they want to or not, the Rockets will have to rebuild at some capacity and bring in some young talent, which is exactly why they need this first-round pick in this trade with the Pelicans. With Oladipo being on an expiring contract and coming off a big time injury, it is a much safer move to acquire Lonzo Ball and a future young talent rather than stick with Oladipo.
