The Houston Rockets have been linked to plenty of stars in the offseason trade market as of late, with Donovan Mitchell one of them.
The star Cavaliers guard has already made it clear that he wants to stay in Cleveland, but after the Cavs were swept in the Eastern Conference Finals by the New York Knicks, the franchise could opt to hit the reset button. Should he become available, Mitchell would be an interesting trade target for the Rockets.
Donovan Mitchell in Houston
The Rockets were listed as the third-best landing spot for Mitchell in a recent article by Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz, only behind the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs. The Philadelphia 76ers and the New Orleans Pelicans were the fourth and fifth-ranked teams, respectively.
Swartz wrote that the Rockets would be a “strong trade partner” for the Cavs, describing Houston as a team that’s “perhaps one piece away from contending for a title.”
In the mock trade to get Mitchell, Swartz had the Rockets sending out Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, Dorian Finney-Smith, and a 2027 first-round pick via the Phoenix Suns to Cleveland in exchange for the 29-year-old guard. That would leave Houston with a starting five of Fred VanVleet, Mitchell, Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant and Alperen Şengün.
Add in Tari Eason (assuming Houston retains him in restricted free agency) and Steven Adams off the bench, and the Rockets would have a top-seven that “could challenge even the best in the West,” according to Swartz.
Houston is at a similar crossroads to Cleveland in the current stage of their team-building, so it’s unclear whether the Rockets would be willing to go star-hunting for a second straight offseason after this year’s early playoff exit. Still, Mitchell is coming off an All-NBA season where he averaged 27.9 points and 5.7 assists per game, so it could be a worthwhile gamble for Houston if it decides to buy in on its young core.
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Rockets viewed as third-best landing spot for star Cavaliers guard
Reporting by Henry Daley, Rockets Wire / Rockets Wire
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