The Houston Rockets were dealt a tough blow this past week when it was announced that veteran point guard Fred VanVleet would be out for the season with a torn ACL.
VanVleet, a former undrafted free agent, was a key veteran leader both on and off the court and will be deeply missed by Houston.
But this is a team with championship aspirations, and they can't go into the season without a replacement for his role as the starting point guard.
Bill Simmons Proposes Derrick White-Rockets Trade
On an episode of the Bill Simmons podcast, the titular host, Bill Simmons, proposed a trade that would fix the Rockets' point guard problem.
Simmons says Houston needs to call up the Boston Celtics and acquire former NBA champion Derrick White.
"Derrick White is the dramatic name. Give me some s*** back for Derrick White. That Phoenix pick you have in 2027, that’s coming back. You’re giving me real stuff for that. I think Sheppard probably has to be in it too," Simmons, the Celtics fan, said.
"If you’re Houston and you turn this VanVleet disaster into Derrick White with some of your picks, and you make a real run at it this year, could you win the title with Derrick White, I think, is a real question."
White would be an amazing addition to this current iteration of the Rockets roster and would fill in perfectly for the injured VanVleet. If the Rockets don't want to skip a beat as they enter their first season with 36-year-old Kevin Durant, they need to be aggressive and patch up their holes.
More Rockets news:
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- Rockets trade idea lands $215 million All-Star guard
- Kevin Durant reportedly willing to give Rockets discount on contract extension
- Blockbuster Rockets trade proposal lands 21.8 PPG guard for Reed Sheppard