Alright, so today I’m spilling the beans on my little side hustle: trying to predict Rockets trades. It’s more for fun than profit, but hey, gotta keep the brain cells firing, right?
Phase 1: Gathering Intel (aka Scrolling Twitter for Hours)
First off, I started by diving deep into the rumor mill. This means hours – seriously, hours – spent glued to Twitter (or X, whatever it is now). I followed all the NBA insiders I could find – Woj, Shams, the whole crew. I also kept an eye on local Houston sports reporters. The trick is to sift through the noise and find the whispers that seem to have some actual weight behind them. This time, I saw a few names popping up repeatedly – Jaden Springer, Cody Zeller, Alpha Kaba. Not exactly household names, I know.
Phase 2: Deciphering the Smoke Signals
Next up, I tried to piece together what these rumors meant. Were the Rockets looking for a young guard with potential? Were they trying to shed salary? Did they just really, really want the draft rights to Alpha Kaba (whoever that is)?
- Springer: The chatter suggested the Rockets were looking for a defensive-minded guard to add to their bench. He made sense.
- Zeller: His name was floating around in “salary dump” scenarios. Not great for him, but happens all the time.
- Kaba: This one was weird. Late-round draft rights rarely amount to anything, but hey, maybe the Rockets saw something they liked.
Phase 3: Making My Bold Predictions (and Usually Being Wrong)
Okay, this is where the fun (and the humiliation) begins. Based on the rumors and my own limited understanding of the Rockets’ needs, I tried to predict what trades might happen. I figured Springer was a decent bet, maybe for a future second-round pick. Zeller, I suspected, would be moved to clear space.
Phase 4: The Trades Actually Happen (or Don’t)
And then the actual trades started dropping. This is where I found out just how much I don’t know about NBA front office dealings.
Here’s what went down:
Trade 1: Rockets acquire Jaden Springer
Yep, got this one right! The Rockets traded a protected 2031 second-round pick for Springer, a 2030 second-round pick, and a protected 2027 second-round pick. Pretty minor move overall, but hey, I’ll take the win.
Trade 2: Rockets waive Cody Zeller and sign Nate Williams
Okay, so I was half-right about Zeller. He was waived, but instead of a trade, they just released him and signed Nate Williams. I totally missed the Williams signing. Should’ve dug deeper on that one.
Trade 3: Rockets trade for Alpha Kaba (again, who?)
The Rockets traded Cody Zeller (told ya he was getting moved!) and a 2028 second-round pick to the Hawks for the draft rights to Alpha Kaba. So, they did want Kaba! I guess they really liked him. Maybe he’s the next Giannis? Probably not, but you never know.
Phase 5: Analyzing My Performance (aka Patting Myself on the Back Slightly)
So, how did I do? One correct prediction (Springer), one half-correct (Zeller), and one complete whiff (Williams). Not exactly a stellar performance, but not a total disaster either. The main takeaway? NBA trades are wild and unpredictable. Still, it’s a fun way to follow the team and stay engaged.
Final Thoughts
This whole “Rockets trade rumors” thing is just a hobby for me. I don’t have any inside sources, and I’m definitely not an expert. But I enjoy following the team, reading the rumors, and trying to make sense of it all. And hey, sometimes I even get it right! Maybe next time I’ll do better. Or maybe I’ll be completely wrong about everything. That’s part of the fun.
