The Houston Rockets are probably happy with how things turned out ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline now. There were rumors that they were attempting to acquire Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets as they were willing to offer a massive trade package.
The Rockets could include five draft picks in the deal, most of which would be the Nets getting their picks back. In addition, Brooklyn could have come away with Jalen Green, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Green had not yet consistently found his footing with the Rockets, as other youngsters on the team were beginning to catch him in the pecking order. Throwing the towel in on a 22-year-old player in Year 3 of his career, however, would have been short-sighted.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jalen Green, Kobe Bryant, Houston Rockets Updates
While consistency was Green’s issue at the time, something has clicked since then. He has been an integral part of the team’s recent success, as the Rockets are riding an eight-game winning streak and right back in the mix for a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
Currently amid his best stretch of basketball in the NBA, Green has been on fire for Houston the last few weeks. It could not have come at a better time as rising center Alperen Sengun’s ankle injury could have easily derailed the success the team was having, but Green’s rise in performance has helped overcome that loss.
In March, Green is averaging 27.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. He is making 51.4 percent of his shots from the field, 41.7 percent of his 3-pointers and 79.6 percent of his foul shots.
His play of late has been drawing the attention of several people in the basketball world, including Bill Simmons. Simmons gave Green the ultimate praise, saying that he sees a little bit of young Kobe Bryant in him during this recent stretch.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jalen Green, Kobe Bryant, Houston Rockets Updates
“Watching him the last couple of weeks, it’s like, man, if you were just drawing a two-guard from scratch, from a scoring standpoint, what kind of move or shot doesn’t he have?” Simmons said, via NBACentral on X.
That is some high praise from Simmons, as comparing anyone at any time to Bryant is a high honor. This could very well be Green’s coming out party, as the Rockets knew he had immense potential, especially as a three-level scorer, which he has been showcasing over the last few weeks.
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