Sources: Pistons, Van Gundy parting ways

The Houston Rockets had some luck in the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery. The Rockets, who got their pick from the Brooklyn Nets in the James Harden trade in 2021, moved from the ninth overall pick to the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Now, Houston GM Rafael Stone is expected to shop the third pick in trade talks to bring in a veteran player. The Rockets signed several veteran free agents in the 2023 offseason. Those players helped Houston improve from 22 wins in 2022-23 to 41 wins in 2023-24.

In addition to adding the vets, the Rockets still have a good young core. That has Houston looking at options for more win-now help, as opposed to adding another young player to the core of Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith II, Amen Thompson and Tari Eason.

The Miami Heat are trying to thread a pretty complicated needle in any potential Jimmy Butler trade. Miami wants to remain a playoff team, but the Heat also do not want to take on long-term money in a Butler trade.

Miami wants to make the playoffs this season, so that their first-round draft pick will convey to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA Draft. If that pick does not convey, it will roll over to the 2026 draft with no protections. That will then force the Heat to give the Charlotte Hornets an unprotected first-round pick in the 2028 draft. If the Heat convey the pick to the Thunder this year, they owe the Hornets a lottery-protected pick in 2027.

In addition, Pat Riley and the Miami front office is looking to create salary flexibility in a Butler deal. The Heat are looking to players in the offseason free agent of trade market in either the summer of 2025 or the summer of 2026. That’s why Miami is reluctant to take back long-term money in a potential Butler deal.