NBA rumors: Rockets willing to trade No. 3 pick for same player they missed on

The NBA draft lottery had plenty of surprises with the Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets (via the Brooklyn Nets pick) moving up to land top-3 picks. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Rockets will be having a lot of "conversations" around trading the third-overall pick. One veteran that they may be interested in is Mikal Bridges whom they previously tried to acquire by offering Jalen Green and a package of picks.

This move could be the Rockets doubling down on an attempt to compete after they signed Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet to support their young players and still couldn't make the Play-In Tournament in a very competitive Western Conference. Houston was looking to add another All-Star veteran at the trade deadline but was unable to find the right deal. Bridges is under contract for the next two seasons; and averaged 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists per game on 43 percent shooting this season.

Despite looking a bit overwhelmed on the offensive end of the court as a primary creator, Bridges is one of the best two-way 3-and-D wings in the league. He would likely thrive in a system where he isn't the number-one option in an offensive system and the Rockets would just need him to bolster their defense and be a complementary scorer and creator.

With a possible fit being great and the Rockets having interest in the past, how likely is a Bridges-Rockets trade?

How likely is a Mikal Bridges-Houston Rockets trade this offseason?

Since the Nets have not been willing to enter any kind of rebuild, it's easy to see a world where the Nets don't entertain trades for Mikal Bridges. The Rockets will probably make an offer that is worth more than Bridges' basketball services but Brooklyn will likely decline since the franchise is in denial about having a good enough roster to make a deep run.

While the Rockets might not get Bridges, the franchise will likely end up trading their third overall pick for a veteran. With the playoffs still going on, it's not fair to say who Houston will end up with. The Trail Blazers may end up making Jerami Grant available this offseason. The Rockets will need to investigate if there is a defensive fit between him and Jabari Smith Jr. but Houston would get the offensive boost that they need to compete for a playoff spot next season.