Could the Guard-Needy Rockets Call the Bulls About a Trade? ...Middle East

The Chicago Bulls have something that the Houston Rockets need.

With less than a month to go before the regular season tips off, the Rockets received a gut-punch. Fred VanVleet suffered a torn ACL during a workout this week, and the veteran guard is now at risk of missing the entirety of the 2025-26 season. It’s a major blow for a franchise that was hoping to enter “contender status” this season. The Rockets acquired Kevin Durant in the offseason, as well as handed VanVleet a fresh two-year, $50.0 million deal to help lead the team.

To be sure, the Rockets will still be viewed as a Western Conference threat, but they will now face a substantial roster hole. Jalen Green’s involvement in the Durant trade has led to a relatively limited backcourt for Houston. Second-year guard Reed Sheppard and veteran Aaron Holiday represent Ime Udoka’s next best options at the point guard position. The former may be a Top 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, but he saw very little NBA action during his rookie campaign. As for Holiday, the seven-year veteran has not averaged more than 17.8 minutes a night since the 2019-20 season.

It’s hard to imagine either player can immediately step in and fill VanVleet’s shoes in the starting lineup, especially when we consider the high expectations in Houston. This is why many eyes have now shifted toward GM Rafael Stone. The Rockets have shown in recent months that they aren’t afraid to be aggressive in the trade market, so could another deal be in store soon?

Could the Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets Do Business?

If the Houston Rockets are antsy to find a more trustworthy option at lead guard, the Chicago Bulls may be one of the first calls they make.

While the Bulls may not be prepared to sell off anyone and everyone, they are undoubtedly a franchise in transition. We have seen them show an increased willingness to discuss deals over the last year-plus, and most expect them to stay engaged in talks throughout this regular season. One big reason for that is the situation they face in their own backcourt.

Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu are headed toward unrestricted free agency in 2026. Extension talks have failed to progress with either player due to the team-friendly nature of their current contracts. Instead, they will both have a chance to walk for nothing in return next summer. To be clear, the Bulls could always look to bring each of them back on a new deal, but would that make sense financially after paying Josh Giddey this summer? Not to mention, who is to say White and Dosunmu are not pryed away by another team with more success or even more opportunity?

The only way to truly avoid this is to get ahead of the problem and discuss potential deals. And it sure feels like the Rockets have suddenly become a sensible trade partner!

While White may not be the same steady facilitator as VanVleet, he can provide an even more dependable stroke from downtown. Likewise, White has improved significantly as a ballhandler over the last few seasons. Houston finished 18th in PACE last year, and it is likely to slow things down even more with Kevin Durant in the fold. So, whereas White’s transition talent would add a fun wrinkle to the Rockets’ offense, he has also become far more equipped to play in the halfcourt.

As for Dosunmu, he may not provide the same reliable 3-point shotmaking, but he has been a 36.1 percent shooter over his career. He is an excellent downhill scorer and finisher who has shown that he can handle a little more on-ball responsibility. Most importantly, however, Dosunmu would fit in very well with the head coach Ime Udoka’s defensive identity. The guard provides great length along the perimeter and can defend positions one through three with ease.

Neither White nor Dosunmu would be considered the most traditional point guard, but that may be exactly what the Rockets need. Center Alperen Sengun is already used to carrying a lot of the distributing responsibility from the middle of the floor, while Kevin Durant will need the ball in his hands plenty. Indeed, the fact that both White and Dosunmu can be effective with and without the ball makes them an even stronger fit for that Houston team.

If the Rockets did pick up the phone, it sure feels like the Bulls would listen. Even with their blockbuster trade for Durant, Houston is still equipped with some valuable assets. Reed Sheppard, Tari Eason, and Amen Thompson are three high-ceiling former first-rounders. While it feels very nearly impossible that the Rockets would part with Thompson, could either of the other two players be on the table? Sheppard was a former No. 3 overall pick, so the Rockets may want even more than just White or Dosunmu for his services. Eason has also shown a lot of promise, but we know the Bulls showed interest in him during the lead-up to the 2022 NBA Draft.

The Rockets also have two 2027 first-round picks, as well as control of their firsts in 2028-2031. For a Bulls team that has been allergic to adding future first-round picks in recent years, the Rockets could be a perfect trade partner!

At the end of the day, this Rockets situation serves as a perfect reminder of how fast the market can change in the NBA. The Bulls are now looking at a win-now team with an obvious hole that they can help fill. To be sure, I don’t expect anything to happen in the coming weeks, but a conversation between these two might make too much sense not to happen come December.

Hence then, the article about could the guard needy rockets call the bulls about a trade was published today ( Friday 26/09/2025 - 10:52 PM ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.

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