The Houston Rockets made a blockbuster trade on Sunday that overshadowed Game 7 of the NBA Finals. In a bargain deal, the Rockets were able to acquire Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns without giving up most of their assets.
Even though the Rockets sped up their championship timeline with this move, they still have a ton of assets going forward. They still have valuable draft picks (including Phoenix's 2027 first-rounder) as well as young players with upside like Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, Cam Whitmore, and Reed Sheppard, assuming the likes of Amen Thompson and Alperen Şengün are untouchable.
This should still be able to land the Rockets a true difference maker. After the KD deal, Houston could use another perimeter shot creator, ideally one who can play shooting guard.
Enter Coby White of the Chicago Bulls. The Rockets could use Sheppard, Whitmore, and a few second-round picks to poach the talented young guard from Chicago.
White has been one of the more underrated offensive players in the league over the last two years. The 25-year-old averaged 20.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game on an impressive 60.1% True Shooting. He can play on or off the ball thanks to his ability to shoot the three. He hit over 37% of his threes in the last two seasons on over seven attempts per game.
Giving up two young players in Sheppard and Whitmore may seem like a lot for the Rockets, but Houston simply doesn't have much playing time to offer the two. Instead of letting them lose more trade value by riding the bench most of next season, turning those chips in for a starter-caliber guard who is still young makes more sense.
The Rockets would need to give White a contract extension upon acquiring him as he is entering the final year of his contract, which pays him $12.8 million in the 2025-26 season. Considering the developmental trajectory he has been on, the Rockets should be able to pivot and trade him again if they face a financial crunch down the line.