NBA Rumors: The 3-team trade that would make the Houston Rockets the favorite for the championship

The Houston Rockets began the season with a significant setback: the absence of their veteran point guard and natural leader, Fred VanVleet, even before the official start of the season. For a franchise with aspirations of going far in the postseason, losing a seasoned champion figure is a major blow.

In this scenario, Eric Pincus, from Bleacher Report, has highlighted a way for Houston to incorporate another top-notch playmaker through a three-team trade.

The hypothetical move proposed by Pincus would be as follows:

• Houston Rockets would receive:

  • Derrick White (Boston Celtics)

  • Haywood Highsmith (Brooklyn Nets)

  • A $5 million salary exception from Reed Sheppard

• Boston Celtics would receive:

  • Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets)

  • Jalen Wilson (Brooklyn Nets)

  • A 2029 first-round pick (via Rockets)

  • A $28.1 million salary exception for Derrick White

• Brooklyn Nets would receive:

  • Fred VanVleet (Houston Rockets)

  • A 2027 first-round pick (via Rockets)

Although Amen Thompson has taken over the team with proficiency, Pincus points out that the young point guard, despite his immense talent, may not yet be the most suitable figure to lead a championship-contending project in a demanding playoff series.

Derrick White precisely offers the kind of experience and reliability that Houston might need. A champion with the Celtics in 2024, he would bring a defensive presence even superior to what VanVleet offered and a proven ability to deliver in crucial moments. His arrival would bolster the team's structure and enhance its chances to compete for the title.

For Boston, the operation would make sense from a financial perspective: shedding White's nearly $29 million annual contract over the coming years would allow them to stay under the first salary apron. Additionally, they would acquire Reed Sheppard, picked third in the 2024 Draft, a promising young point guard, along with an additional first-round pick.

Meanwhile, the Nets would act as facilitators, utilizing their salary cap space to absorb VanVleet's contract and receiving a future first-round pick in return. It would be a move geared towards accumulating assets for their rebuilding process.

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