The Houston Rockets will be considered buyers close to the trade deadline, sitting No. 2 in the West with a 32-14 record. While the team could decide to see this season out with the core they’ve assembled already, there are plenty of interesting win-now trades that could greatly enhance the roster.

Yahoo Sports writer Kevin O’Connor suggested a pretty wild deal that would split Draymond Green from his career-long home of the Golden State Warriors and bring him to Houston.

Trade Details

Houston Rockets Receive: Draymond Green, Lindy Waters III

Golden State Warriors Receive: Cam Whitmore, Steven Adams, Jeff Green, 2027 First-Round Pick (PHX), Two Second-Round Picks

This is a pretty wild trade considering the history between Green and the Rockets. He was a crucial part of the Warriors ending multiple potential title runs for the Rockets with the player beefing with the team and players like Dillon Brooks as recently as March 2024. However, O’Connor explained why he thought this trade would work.

“The recent absence of Jabari Smith Jr. has really taxed Alperen Sengun on defense for long stretches of games. Plugging in Green would ensure the Rockets remain elite defensively. And for any concerns about Draymond getting along with Dillon Brooks, he heaped praise onto Brooks and the Rockets last month on his podcast,” O’Connor wrote.

If there are any questions about the assets the Warriors are receiving for trading a franchise icon, O’Connor justifies the same by highlighting the value of the Suns’ first-round pick as well as Cam Whitmore.

“That Suns first is an incredibly valuable asset. And it’s unprotected. Plus Whitmore is a super talented 20-year-old player that’s like the equivalent value of a lottery pick.” 

This is a fascinating move that essentially signals the end of contention for the Warriors with the loss of Draymond for what is essentially future assets. But would it work?

Would Either Side Accept This Trade?

The Rockets are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, so making a deal for Draymond makes sense. They have a 108.8 defensive rating this season and have a coach like Ime Udoka who demands maximum defensive effort from his players.

Draymond Green would be the perfect extension of Udoka’s defensive sensibilities on the court, orchestrating the young and energetic Rockets in a frontcourt with Alperen Sengun.

He’s averaging 8.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists this season, but his defensive skill set would be a perfect fit in Houston. He can guard all five positions in the post or on the perimeter. His offensive skills as a playmaker would also greatly improve the Rockets’ offense.

The Warriors might be the ones to object to this deal, as it gets them further away from competing with Stephen Curry on the roster. The expiring contracts of Jeff Green and Steven Adams carry little value when the Warriors won’t open up enough cap space to make a marquee free-agency addition.

Cam Whitmore is averaging 9.7 points and 3.3 rebounds this season and could provide great long-term value, but that’s a future bet. The same applies to the Suns 2027 pick, as they might still have Devin Booker and a competitive core that season. The value proposition for them is not remotely close to how well this deal works out for Houston.

Realistically, the Warriors would never trade Draymond like this unless he explicitly asked out. Even Klay Thompson wasn’t traded midseason. He was allowed to leave the franchise on his terms with the Warriors facilitating a sign-and-trade to ensure he reached his preferred destination. Unless Green demands to be moved, I just don’t see why the Warriors trade him away, especially to the Rockets.