Featuring a core of Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson, there are high hopes for the Houston Rockets to elevate their profile in the Western Conference. The first year with the trio playing together resulted in a fifth-seed finish and a first-round playoff exit.

With a clean slate this season, the Rockets are 5-0 and hold the top spot in the conference standings. One key difference is the return of Fred VanVleet as Houston’s starting point guard, who is averaging 12.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game.

In a recent appearance on Get Up, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon expressed that the Rockets are content with the current roster and are not likely to make a major trade prior to February's deadline.

“They really like what they have now. Their big move was getting Fred VanVleet back. Another big move, and he's still out right now, is going to be getting Steven Adams back. They felt like they put together a team that had a chance last year, and they just never got to see it because of VanVleet's injury and then Steven Adams' injury. I don't think the Rockets are a big mid-season shakeup team. I think they've got a group that has a chance right now, and they're going to let this thing play out.”

The Point Guard Position

Despite VanVleet’s impact as a leader on the court, the 32-year-old is nearly five years removed from his lone All-Star selection and continues to fall down the pecking order as a scoring option. With the Rockets being one of the two teams left undefeated in the NBA, the question is whether the franchise should make a major trade to maximize their championship chances for 2027.

As the point guard position is the area most in need of an upgrade, though not direly so, a realistic trade target for the Rockets is Kyrie Irving. Since returning from an ACL injury, Irving is averaging 18.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. The nine-time All-Star could add another layer to Houston’s scorching offense.

Based on the team's current situation, with the Rockets yet to show a vulnerability that has translated to a loss, a major trade for Irving or any other trending name should not be expected for weeks to come. VanVleet has excelled as a court general thus far, and Marcus Smart and Reed Sheppard have both proven to be capable backup options early on.

Overall, if the Rockets want to shake up their lineup at the mid-season point, the change can be expected to come at the point guard position. However, there is not a substantial enough reason for Houston’s front office to make an all-in move if the current formula is working.