The Houston Rockets have avoided a sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2026 playoffs, but they have only delayed the inevitable with their 115-96 win in Game 4. The Rockets are all set to be eliminated in the first round for the second straight year, and big changes might be coming in the offseason.
The Rockets traded for Kevin Durant after being eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in 2025, and The Ringer’s Michael Pina believes they should go after another two-time Finals MVP this summer. Pina thinks Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard is the most interesting name worth pursuing for the Rockets, and put together a trade that sees him land in Houston.
Proposed Trade Details
Houston Rockets Receive: Kawhi Leonard
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Alperen Sengun, Dorian Finney-Smith, 2027 first-round pick (PHX), 2028 first-round pick (HOU)
The Rockets Go Boom-Or-Bust
We have seen teams make boom-or-bust moves over the years, and this might be the biggest one in recent history. Let’s look at the positives first.
Leonard would be a much better fit than Alperen Sengun with the pieces that the Rockets have at present. He can shoot, he can defend, he can handle the ball, and he can do a bit of playmaking as well.
Leonard averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game for the Clippers in 2025-26 while shooting 50.5% from the field and 38.7% from beyond the arc. He and Durant would make quite the deadly combo.
Now, the reason why we are saying boom and bust, of course, is the injury concern. Can you rely on Leonard to stay upright? The 34-year-old played 65 games this season, and this is the second time in three seasons that he has hit the 65-game mark. History tells you, though, that he could go down at any point.
The Rockets have already gotten burned by Durant missing time with injuries against the Lakers. He is far less injury-prone than Leonard, but is 37 years old. When your superstar is in his mid to late 30s, there is always a huge injury risk.
If Leonard and Durant are healthy, the Rockets could go all the way. If they aren’t, they’d probably lose in the first round again in 2027.
The Clippers Get A Young Star To Build Around
The Clippers had gotten younger by acquiring Darius Garland for James Harden in February, and they’d be getting even younger in the star department by getting Sengun for Leonard. It would actually be quite impressive if they go from having no real future with these two aging stars just a few months ago, to this.
Sengun averaged 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game for the Rockets in 2025-26, while shooting 51.9% from the field. The 23-year-old’s stock was dropping rapidly after the first two games against the Lakers, but he has played better since then.
A Sengun-Garland combo would be pretty good offensively, but you’d need a lot of good defenders around them. Dorian Finney-Smith, at his best, would be a great option, but he has been terrible this season.
Finney-Smith averaged just 3.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game in 2025-26. A big reason for the 32-year-old’s poor play has been injuries. Finney-Smith is basically entering this offseason on an expiring contract (last two years of his four-year deal are non-guaranteed), so the Clippers wouldn’t be too concerned about taking him on.
If Finney-Smith can stay healthy next season, the Clippers might be able to flip him for some draft picks, too. Speaking of picks, they get two unprotected first-rounders from the Rockets as well. Neither is a great pick at present, but the Phoenix Suns could potentially drop off a bit next season, so there could be value there.
Who Says No?
The Rockets probably say no here. They’re giving up a young star and draft capital for an injury-prone superstar in his mid-30s. That Aspiration scandal still hangs over Leonard as well, and there has been talk about the NBA voiding his contract with the Clippers. Speaking of contract, he will also be in the final year of his three-year, 149 million deal next season.
All things considered, the Rockets are giving up way too much. Maybe they do this deal if the draft picks aren’t involved.
