Inventory: After the Rockets were eliminated by the Warriors, the ranking of the top 5 superstars that can be pursued in the offseason

The Rockets' loss to the Warriors shows that they need a superstar. So, who can the team trade in the offseason?

The Houston Rockets have many young talented players. They have a strong lineup, excellent athleticism, comprehensive defense, and have players with unique offensive skills. However, they seem to be missing a true top scorer. When they lost to the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs, the phenomenon of their lack of a superstar was already common, and now, the offseason trading rumors of the Rockets have reached a climax. The Rockets, led by outstanding players such as Alperen Sengon, Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson and Jaylen Green, finished second in the league in the regular season, but they also became the seventh team who lost to the seventh place in the league. The team lacks a truly reliable scorer and is unable to provide efficient scoring threats in every game, which is a big reason for their failure.

Sengon was selected for the All-Star Game for the first time in 2025, but he may be more suitable as the second scorer because what he is best at is passing. The Rockets used to rely heavily on VanVleet, especially when it comes to three-pointers, but his inadequate size led to inefficiency. Thompson has amazing athletic ability, but not many jump shots; although Green shines throughout the game, such shining points are rare.

Luckily, there are many stars in Houston that may be traded. They happen to have strong draft picks and young players, which may attract opposing teams to trade with them. So, take a look at this gallery and see the superstar trading options that the Rockets should consider during the offseason.

1. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns

Rockets win: Kevin Durant

Suns win: Fred VanVleet, Cam Whitmore, Aaron Holiday, 2025 first-round draft pick (from the Suns), 2027 first-round draft pick (from the Suns)

Rockets need a third-level scorer who can average close to or exceed 30 points per game. Few players fit this description better than Kevin Durant, as he is one of the best scorers in basketball history. Durant is 36 years old, but he still looks like he is in his prime.

The Phoenix Suns have been trading this future Hall of Fame member before the 2025 NBA trade deadline, and he can be said to be the top ten players in NBA history. Since no deal was reached at the time, it seemed inevitable to trade this offseason. The Suns and their Big Three both suffered huge defeats, but the team had few draft picks. So there is no better deal than the Rockets, as Houston has a lot of future first-round picks. The Rockets can return some of the draft picks to the Suns, which will allow the Suns to make appropriate reconstructions. Meanwhile, Houston will get a player who is nearly seven feet tall and able to score from the three-point line, mid-range or inside, and is unparalleled in efficiency. Since Durant will be 37 next year, the Rockets may not be asking him too much. There are reports that the team hopes to trade him with three first-round picks, but since these are Phoenix Suns draft picks, they may be content with two first-round picks and a young talented player like Cam Whitmore.

Whitmore is one of Houston's many expected young players, but the team's strong roster depth means he may not play a major role in the Rockets in the future. After this deal, Houston's biggest concern will be the lack of depth in the point guard lineup, as everyone sees the Suns struggling in the absence of a real main point guard. However, it is worth it to introduce Durant, and fortunately, Sengon is one of the big guys with the strongest passing ability in NBA history.

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Rockets get: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Bucks get: Dillon Brooks, Jabary Smith, Reed Shepard, Jock Langdale, Nate Williams, 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick (from the Suns)

The cost of trading Giannis Antetokounmpo may be higher than that of Durant, and the Milwaukee Bucks star is not as good as Phoenix's Durant, but the deal is still meaningful for the Rockets. In fact, Antetokounmpo is better suited to the Rockets' schedule than Durant.

Houston has young players such as Sengen, Green, Thompson, Whitmore, Jabary Smith II, Reed Shepard and Tari Ethan, all of whom are recent first-round picks. While some of these players will be traded, the team will retain a group of players under the age of 25, while Antetokounmpo is only 30 years old.

This Greek monster, who is 6 feet 11 inches (about 1.93 meters) tall and weighs 243 pounds (about 107 kg), is an example. On the offensive end, he was able to easily break through the inside and score. The two-time MVP has been around 30 pounds (about 16 kg) per game each season since the 2017-18 season. On the other hand, Antetokounmpo was once the defensive player of the year, and he could not only block the basket but also stabilize his position at the offensive point.

Antetokounmpo spent his entire career with the Milwaukee Bucks, but some believe he may be about to be traded. The Bucks just lost the first round of the playoffs for the third consecutive year, and Damian Lillard suffered a torn Achilles tendon in that round of the series, casting a shadow on his NBA future. Sengon's skills complement Antetokounmpo, and his athletic talent fits perfectly with top jumpers like Green, Whitmore and Thompson.

3. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

Rockets won: Devin Booker

Suns won: Jaylen Green, Reed Shepard, Jock Langdale, 2025 first-round draft pick (from the Suns), 2027 first-round draft pick (from the Suns), 2029 first-round draft pick (from the Suns), 2026 first-round draft pick

Although Durant is likely to leave, the Suns seem to retain their other superstar, Devin Booker. However, one superstar’s trade could lead to another’s departure, and for the Suns, stocking up picks in the process of a full rebuild may be a wise choice. After all, they haven't made the playoffs with Durant and Booker, so the future of the Suns, which only Booker, doesn't look bright.

The shooting guard is fully capable of becoming the best player in the NBA position. He can score any goal and has experience in the NBA Finals as the team's best player. Fans have seen many shadows of Green in Booker, but Green's potential is getting bigger and bigger, and he will never be able to fully realize it.

Green was particularly bad in the playoffs. The former second-tier pick scored 12 points or below in six of the seven games against the Warriors. Green seems to be overshadowed by the team's brilliance, so improving Booker's strength is of great significance to the team. In this deal, the Suns not only got all the draft picks the Rockets owned, but even got an additional first-round draft pick.

In addition, Shepard is included in this deal. Although the 2024 NBA Draft Tanhua Show has difficulty breaking the rotation in his rookie season, he still has unlimited potential, as can be seen from his outstanding performance in the Development League. Shepard can replace Booker as a potential star in the Suns' backcourt, and the Rockets are happy to get an experienced star and a player who is always selected as an All-Star.

4. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

Rockets won: Trae Young

Hawks won: Jaylen Green, Reed Shepard, 2025 first-round draft pick (from the Suns), 2027 first-round draft pick (from the Suns), 2026 first-round draft pick

Whether the Atlanta Hawks will consider trading Trae Young is still unknown, but the Atlanta Hawks have just missed the playoffs for two consecutive seasons. In the past two years, they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, and whether Yang can lead the team to compete for the championship has also become a question.

This is because the point guard is one of the worst players in the NBA defense. The Hawks have been unable to provide enough defensive reinforcements around him, and the Rockets are one of the best teams in the NBA to defend. They have enough talent to cover up Yang's weaknesses. The Rockets will even send two players with weaker defenses in this deal.

Yang is definitely a powerful force on the offensive end. With his amazing landings and long shots, he averaged 24.2 points per game. He is also one of the best organizational cores in the NBA, and the league's leading average of 11.6 assists per game is proof of it. Young may have more flaws than the players on the list who ranked him before him, but he is still able to lead the team to the championship contenders.

5. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies

Rockets won: Ja Morant, John Conchar

Grizzlies won: Reed Shepard, Fred VanVleet, 2026 first-round draft pick, 2025 first-round draft pick (from the Suns), 2027 first-round draft pick (from the Suns)

Another point guard who may not have been traded yet, but is likely to be traded is Ja Morant. Morant's Grizzlies lost a crushing first-round draft pick after weeks of firing Taylor Jenkins. Morant has all levels of athleticism and basketball talent in the world, but the Grizzlies may have been tired of his antics.

Morant often makes the news for some questionable sentences. He was suspended twice in the 2023-24 season for gun-related issues, and the point guard has continued to use violence-related celebratory moves this past season. He was injured too frequently during his young career and his three-pointers didn't develop as much as the Grizzlies hoped.

While all of this could lead to a deal, none of this should stop the Rockets from taking action against the player from Morris State. Morant is a great athlete, and his finishing ability at the rim and under the rim is better than anyone in the NBA. The two-time All-Star has the potential to reestablish himself as one of the NBA's best players.

The opposing team simply does not have enough defensive firepower to limit the attacks of Morant, Green and Thompson, and Sengen will have a chance to pass the ball to these three breakthrough players. If Morant joins Houston, shooting outside the three-point line may become a potential hazard for the team, but the deal will still be seen as an upgrade that will hopefully help the team get through the difficulties.