2 young Rockets players who should be off the table in trade talks and 1 who could be trade bait

The Houston Rockets have passed the midway point in the season in terms of games played as we rapidly approach the trade deadline. Over the past couple of months, the Rockets have been rumored to be in potential trade talks for players including Jimmy Bulter of the Miami Heat and De’Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings. Nothing has happened yet, although we are just under two weeks away from the deadline on Feb 6.

For the better part of the season, Houston has had a stranglehold on second place in the loaded Western Conference. With that said, the thought of them making a move to solidify the roster and make a run at a championship has been bounced around. In order to do that, somebody has to go. However, who should be on the trade block and who should be off the table in trade talks is a big question.

“Right now, this is a match made in basketball heaven -- a Rockets team built on top-end defense and depth that is a consistent alpha-dog scorer short of genuine contention. Notice the word consistent. If Green played like this all the time, there would be no question regarding his franchise-player status and, perhaps, about whether the Rockets, ahead of schedule as they are, are ready to compete with the big boys come playoff time.” – Brad Botkin CBS Sports writer

Alperen Sengun (untouchable)

One of the more promising young big men in the NBA, Sengun is the Rockets' second-leading scorer (19.2 ppg), the team’s leading rebounder (10.5) and second in assists (5) behind Fred VanVleet. In an era where legit centers are hard to come by, Sengun is one of the youngest players in Ime Udoka’s rotation and one of the best.

The jump he’s made the past couple of years is remarkable and it seems like he’s just getting started. Sengun’s ceiling is high as a guy who could average a double-double over the next 7-10 years in the Association. Right now, he’s one of the few who should be off-limits in trade talks. At 22 years old, Sengun is still a couple of years from entering his prime and many more from his peak. Houston should continue to ride this wave to see how far it takes them.

Amen Thompson (untouchable)

Amen Thompson is what every championship team needs in the NBA. A player who is long and rangy at forward and can guard positions. Thompson is rarely in a bad matchup defensively and his offense seems to be getting more refined with each game. One place he can improve is shooting from distance but it took Jason Kidd over a decade to develop a consistent jump shot so he’s got time.

In only his second year in the league, Thompson is quickly becoming one of the core members of this Rockets club. It’s hard to find what he brings in today’s NBA which is a player who wants to go out and play lockdown defense night after night. Thompson has the making of a potential star in the Association and could achieve great heights under the tutelage of head coach, Ime Udoka.

Jalen Green (might be off limits but could also be trade bait)

Jalen Green is in a tough situation. He’s the most talented scorer on this young Rockets team at the moment and he is great at what he does. Green is also what we used to call a tweener because he’s not a true point guard but he’s also not a big body like many two-guards in the NBA over the years. That doesn’t mean he cannot play the position but it also means if push comes to shove, Green could end up being a nice trade chip if need be.

Yes, Green can score in volume, but if you look around the league, half the teams have a player if not two who can do the same. Simply put, if there isn’t more to the arsenal that makes a player stand out from the crowd, it’s tough to deem them untouchable in trade talks. Let’s say the Sacramento Kings asked for Green in a potential trade for De’Aaron Fox, the Rockets would be insane not to at least have a conversation. Any guard averaging over 21 points per game and less than three assists have already shown the league exactly who they are. For the right piece, Green would be expendable.