Rockets acquire Suns picks, return Nets picks to Brooklyn

Why do you think the Nets pick were likely “top 5” picks? I think the complete opposite. We lucked into a top 3 pick this season, and the Nets likely make moves to bolster their roster around Bridges without this trade.

 

Bridges just went for 6 picks??? We only gave back 1 swap and 1 pick and got 2 swaps and 2 picks. Maybe you should inform yourself before you complain.

 

Why would Nets be a top 5 pick next year when they were just a top 9 pick this year?

Nets got humiliated when they gave us the top 3 pick if this trade didnt happen they are flipping Ben Simmons expiring contract for more help.

Ironically this trade gives us a better lotto pick in 2027.

 

Brooklyn sends a swath of picks for 2025, 2026 first rounders
Brooklyn Nets get:

Return of 2025 first-round swap
2026 first-round pick (via Nets)

Houston Rockets get:

2025 first-round swap (via lesser of Rockets or Thunder for Suns)
2027 first-round pick (via Suns)
2029 first-round pick (via more favorable of Dallas and Phoenix)
2029 first-round swap (via less favorable of Dallas or Phoenix)

Brooklyn Nets grade: B-

Having already sent the Rockets the No. 3 pick in Wednesday's NBA draft as part of the Harden trade, the Nets assured they won't do the same thing either of the next two years, a necessary part of the rebuilding plan the team is apparently embracing after trading Bridges.

The cost was considerable. In order to get back the team's own 2026 first-round pick, as well as extinguish Houston's 2025 swap rights, Brooklyn gave up two first-round picks and two swaps utilizing the extra picks the Nets had coming from last year's Durant and Kyrie Irving trades.

The only way for this deal to make sense from a value standpoint is for Brooklyn to prioritize pingpong balls over wins the next two seasons, particularly ahead of what's expected to be a strong draft in 2025. To some degree, the Nets may have overvalued avoiding the frustration that comes with watching another team make a lottery pick they "earned" this year. But if Brooklyn ends up with a top-four pick next June, the price will seem well worth it.

Houston Rockets grade: A


The Rockets were well-positioned to extract maximum value from the Nets, adding to their own stockpile of incoming picks. Houston has bet against Phoenix in particular. The Rockets will get the Suns' unprotected 2027 first-round pick and their 2029 first-rounder as long as it's not the worst of those belonging to Dallas, Houston or Phoenix. They also have the potential to end up with the Suns' 2025 first-rounder if it's better than the one the Rockets end up with after swapping with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Wojnarowski reported Tuesday night that one possible end goal for Houston is using those picks to acquire Durant, which would be ironic given Phoenix originally gave up the picks for Durant -- and the Rockets landed the Nets' picks when they sent Harden to Brooklyn to team with Durant.

Per Wojnarowski, the Suns are reluctant to make such a move now, meaning Houston will explore using the Phoenix picks to add another veteran star to a talented young core that surged late in the 2023-24 regular season. Whether trying to win now is the right end game for the Rockets is unclear depending on the player and the value, but either way Houston comes out of this deal ahead in terms of tradeable picks.

 

I thought this was a prudent move. Given consistent Rocket basher John Hollinger is quoted as “This was fantastic business for Houston” I may have to revise my position to the best trade in Rockets history

 

One aspect that got overlooked in the mess last night is that:

The 2027 BKN swap INCREASES value

it’s not talked about as something that HOU got back but I thought it’s quite meaningful.

 

I dont think Stone even diluted the quality. I think he just increased the quantity.

Then
2025 swap: lotto swap
2026 pick: teens pick

Now

2025: teens swap
2027: lotto swap

Everybody just assumes both 2025 and 2026 would be lotto picks but Simmons contract is expiring in 2026. If Nets didnt get their picks back he can and he will be flipped for more help. So the net result before was really just 1 low lotto pick and 1 teens swap. Sean Marks was about to be fired due to giving Rox the 3rd pick you think Nets wont do everything to not get embarrassed again?

Now we still have 2025 PHX swap and due to Nets tanking the 2027 swap is now a guaranteed lotto swap.

Its not a coincidence every analyst says this is a good move for the Rox.

 

See, this is where I disagree. They can posture that But ultimately, even just receiving the package that they did for bridges is a bigger win than trying to build around him.

 

The Nets were a bad team with Bridges. They are an even worse team without him. This wasn't a 3 team deal. They made the deal to trade Bridges separately. If it was contingent, they could have easily made a 3 team deal, but they didn't. They weren't going to intentionally tank without their picks, but they weren't going to sign players to long-term deals to kill their flexibility.

They were never not going to take the king's ransom the Knicks offered.

 

In the end, the market is what is. Take Mikal for example. Did NY overpay for a good 3rd/4th option on a good contract? I'd say yes. In some regards, I guess Stone showed some restraint in not trying to outbid NY.

While I agree on the age factor and not 'overpay', where are these 'fair' deals of young borderline superstars / all stars. Truth is the quantity for those are limited and when they are available, other teams covet them too. The market price is what teams are willing to pay.

In the end Stone held still and bought team more time. In some ways bending to the pro youth crowd, because he's giving the existing young core 6 more time.

 

Brooklyn may have only done Bridges deal after agreeing to Houston deal.

So they may have held onto Bridges or swap picks they got for someone else. No guarantee of rebuild.

 

I'd have rolled with the Nets picks are forced the nets to cough up the 2025 FRP as a pick instead of a swap.

That said, I think it is very easy to imagine Dallas being bad or being good in 2029. Dallas drafted Luka and went all in on Kyrie. Luka is an unrestricted free agent in 2027 on a team that looks like it will be pretty much be barren in 2 seasons unless Kyrie stays (I assume he will jump ship). With owing swaps in 2028 to OKC and 2030 to SA and not having picks in 2027 and 2029, they might not have a Top 25 pick for 4 straight years. Without Kyrie, Dallas is not likely a good team.

 

Sorry, but they don’t make the Bridges deal without this deal. Anyone with sense understands that.

 

Can we verify this? If true, this would almost certainly mean we’re making a trade tonight for a 2026 pick, no?

 

I’m not against getting KD, but not for the proposed Reddit trades.
He doesn’t have that much value at this stage in his career imo.

 

Did Morey over pay for Artest, Harden, or CP3? Deals are out there to be made. Just have to be good at your job.. the rockets were going to already be a better team next season just off of experience and progress.
Somebody said it best already in this thread, that the teams that needs to trade for KD is a team that’s already contending for a championship.

 

I like the trade.

They moved a pick and a swap for a pick and 2 swaps.

They now have some more diversified holdings. If nets rebuild, they still won't be great 3 years from now. Look at us. They can miss on picks a d be bad 5 years from now.

Phoenix has a window of 2 years. Then it's Booker and whatever they can scrape together.

I like the move to push assets out a few more years. It gives us time to develop what we have and add talent when we're good and completely over the cap.

 

Brooklyn is a lotto team with or without Bridges. But I’m less disappointed after a good night’s sleep. I still wish we had squeezed Brooklyn for more though.

 

Why would they be certain lottery picks?

They were just inside the lottery and have some young players. They weren't going to get worse and late lottery picks do what for us?