How This Trade Impacts Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are in the early stages of a rebuild. They hammered that point home with the direction they took in the 2021 NBA Draft. Not only did they have four first-round picks, every selection they made netted them a teenager.
Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Usman Garuba and Joshua Christopher are all 19-years old. While Christian Wood is only 26-years old himself in September, isn’t close to this team’s timeline with all of those youngsters.
So, cashing in when his value is as high as it is would make some sense for Houston. That is exactly what Houston does in this deal, acquiring Ivica Zubac, Luke Kennard, Keon Johnson and four second-round picks.
Zubac can help soak up some minutes at the center position until Sengun is ready to assume a bigger role in the rotation. Daniel Theis serves a similar role but can play some power forward as well unlike Zubac. Only 24-years old, he fits the Houston timeline a little better as well.
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Kennard is a lights-out 3-point shooter and someone that will help open things up for the young Rockets. He knocked down 44.6 percent of his 3-point attempts last season and is a 41.3 percent shooter in his career.
He has shown some playmaking instincts as well during his time with the Detroit Pistons and could expand on that with more playing time in Houston. At 25-years old and with four years remaining on his deal, he is locked in through the start of his prime.
Johnson would give the Houston Rockets another player from this year’s draft class as another chance to add to their future core. He would also give them a fifth teenager, as Johnson is also only 19-years old. He is ready to contribute as a defender out of the gate, but his offense needs work if he is going to stick as more than a situational defender.
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The four second-round draft picks give them some maneuverability in the future. Houston can take four more lottery tickets on players in the draft or use them as sweeteners in deals. That could help them facilitate a deal to move veterans John Wall or Eric Gordon in a trade.
