Houston could swap its veteran point guard for championship experience. Dive into potential trade packages involving Kyrie Irving and Jrue Holiday as Rafael Stone weighs high-stakes roster upgrades.
It’s still pretty unclear what the Houston Rockets’ plans are moving forward, as they've seemingly backed away from any blockbuster trade talks. Even if they wanted to do a deal, most of the players are off the table at this point, as covered on Roundtable.
That doesn’t mean Rafael Stone couldn’t still make a swing for a big time player they could help Houston this season. I previously discussed a swap with Kyrie Irving here on Roundtable, and I still do like that idea.
While Irving had an ACL injury and missed all of last season, he's had six more months to heal compared to Fred VanVleet. Kyrie looks fully healthy again.
He also has a prior relationship and chemistry with Kevin Durant, along with being an underrated plug-and-play guy. With Massai Ujuri joining the Dallas Mavericks earlier this offseason, he already has a prior relationship with Fred VanVleet too.
We just saw another Toronto Raptors reunion with Kawhi going back up north and Kyle Lowry soon to join for a retirement contract. Maybe nostalgia will win and spark another trade? Ime Udoka and Marcus Smart proved that it can happen in Houston.
That brings me to another reunion I’ve seen floating around, again with another former Boston Celtics guard. Two time NBA champion Jrue Holiday is reportedly not on the trade block, despite the Portland Trailblazers’ overabundance of point guards, but that could change.
Damian Lillard is returning from an Achilles tear and Ja Morant just got to the team. It’s already been reported that those two are starting, but what about Scoot Henderson?
With a player drafted higher than any of the Rockets’ young guys, it seems obvious that they should give him playing time. Jrue Holiday is set to make $34.8 million though, followed by a $37.2 player option, so it’d be odd to see him riding the bench.
It might be better for them to take the smaller contract of Freddy and let him heal up, rather than deal with the heavier logjam with Holiday.
If I’m being honest though, I find both of these trades to be unlikely. It might only require the contract of FVV after the DFS trade opened up some cap flexibility, as covered on Roundtable. Along with whatever draft capital, obviously, but it would also require both teams to accept.
We have seen the Luka trade and now the Jaylen Brown trade, so nothing is impossible, but it does feel unlikely. Neither Irving or Holiday are actively being shopped, and it doesn’t look like Rafael Stone is doing much bug time shopping.
It seems more likely that we go through the same dilemma and constant questions about VanVleet’s health, as much as that sucks to imagine.
