The Rockets may trade Whitmore! Or exchange it for Dillon? Experts suggest pursuing Finney Smith

During this year's NBA offseason, various teams' trading actions have been continuously, and the Rockets' operations have attracted the attention of fans, after all, they are the number one home team. Just this week, when a well-known reporter Shams participated in the show, he revealed a news: Whitmore, the Rockets's young player, may be put into the trade ranks.

Let's first talk about Whitmore, who was the potential rookie who picked the 20th pick in the first round at the 20th NBA Draft in 2023. This young man has outstanding physical conditions and strong athletic ability. He showed some potential in his rookie season. However, with the Rockets' staffing in sufficient capacity, he has not much playing time. In the whole season, he averaged only 16.2 minutes per game, and he can score 9.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1 assist, with a three-point shooting percentage of 35.5%.

Look at the Rockets, after trading Durant, the staffing configuration has changed greatly. In order to make the team's salary more reasonable, the management has greatly reduced Van Vreet's salary in the 2025-26 season. In this way, in the 2025 NBA free agent market that is about to begin, the Rockets holds a special quota for the full middle class. According to estimates, the salary at the beginning of this special quota can reach $14.1 million. This is like having a "big money" that you can go to the free agent market to attract an experienced veteran player and build a core lineup around Durant to compete for the championship.

Shams said on the show that although Whitmore is young and talented, he has also attracted the attention of many teams in the league. But if the Rockets intend to further improve the team's staffing through trading, Whitmore may be the player to be traded. If he is in the Rockets' management position, he might be used to exchange for the draft capital, or directly exchange for a capable player who can help the team immediately.

, and Shams pointed out that the Rockets may be interested in wing-playing people like Dillon Brooks. In the past, Dillon was very good at defending and had good shooting ability in offense, both at the Grizzlies and at the Rockets. This type of player happened to be able to improve the overall strength of the Rockets' wings.

It's a coincidence that Bobby-Max, an expert in salary, also spoke on the show. He gave the Rockets an idea and suggested that the team pay attention to Lakers forward Finney Smith. Finney Smith has the right to choose players in 2025, which shows that he has the possibility of becoming a free agent; this is a top 3D, who shoots three-pointers on the court and has a very strong defense, and has a great role in the Lakers. If the Rockets could attract him, it might have brought the team's wing strength to a higher level, and Durant's chances of winning the championship have increased.

As of now, Whitmore's trade is still in the rumor stage. Whether the Rockets will really trade him out and what kind of players they can get is uncertain. But as soon as the news came out, it aroused heated discussions among fans, all guessing what the Rockets will do next; should we pursue players like Dillon as Shams said, or would we follow the experts' advice and find a way to sign Finney Smith? We are just waiting to see the Rockets management's next actions, after all, the ambition to win the championship is already known to everyone.