NBA Trade Idea: Jazz All-Star Lauri Markkanen to Rockets?

The Houston Rockets could be looking to make another big splash this offseason after missing the NBA Playoffs despite a 41-41 record and a 19-win improvement from the previous year.

Bleacher Report suggests that splash could come in a blockbuster deal with the Utah Jazz that would send Lauri Markkanen to Houston for Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore, a 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick.

"Houston has Green and Sengün's extensions to think about, so adding Markkanen, who'll likely need a nine-figure deal of his own in short order, might be a little intimidating. But if the Rockets are serious about taking the next step, it's time to give up some of their future assets for someone who can make a real difference now," Bleacher Report writes.

The Rockets could look to pay Green and Sengun extensions this summer, which could make the future for players like Smith and Whitmore a little murky. However, both players have a ton of potential and neither have even turned 21 yet.

The Rockets may want to push the envelope in order to take that next step as a team, but the young core has only reached the tip of the iceberg, and there is so much more room for growth that a trade like this doesn't make a lot of sense for Houston's long-term future.

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