How This Trade Impacts Houston Rockets

In the last year or so, the Houston Rockets have made their intentions clear about the direction they want to take the team in. They are all-in on rebuilding and nothing made that more evident than their strategy in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Houston ended up making four first-round selections and they selected a teenager with every pick. They went long-term upside over the immediate, short-term impact to give the team the highest ceiling possible heading into the future.

The Rockets will want to give those youngsters as much playing time as they can handle as they start the process of building things back up. They have already agreed with John Wall that he will not suit up during the regular season, as they find him a new team to play for. Other veterans on the team, such as Eric Gordon, will likely be on the trade block as well.

This hypothetical trade would be a big win for the Rockets. They are clearing the last two years of Gordon’s contract off the books and bringing on Goran Dragic, who is playing on an expiring deal.

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Dragic can help soak up some of the minutes at the point guard position that would have gone to Wall. He can provide a veteran presence for all of the young players on the roster, something each team needs. Dragic is also a solid trade chip that the Rockets could flip again for more assets.

Moving the long-term money that Gordon is owed without attaching draft compensation is a best-case scenario for Houston. They cut salary and get a better asset in this deal with the Raptors.

Now, let’s take a look at things from this hypothetical trade from the Raptors’ perspective.