Houston Washington

Saul Goodman · Post #1 » by **Saul Goodman** » Mon Sep 29, 2025 3:35 pm

to Houston
Cj McCollum
Malaki Brahnam

to

Washington
Fred Vanvleet
Steven Adams
2028 top 10 protected 1st
2026 Chicago 2nd

Washington is still in tank and asset mode. This does both. It prevents extra wins that Cj might go off and get on his own. They take on some bad money to get an extra 1st as well

Houston is in win now mode. Starting Reed is a bigger risk than making this move. CJ is a reliable 2nd scorer in crunch time next to KD. Amen can take on the playmaking duties

CJ/Amen/DFS/KD/Sengun

Sheppard/Eason/Smith JR/Capela

BK_2020 · Post #2 » by **BK_2020** » Mon Sep 29, 2025 4:32 pm

Steven Adams is not a salary ballast. He's one of their most impactful players, as he has been for basically his entire career for multiple teams. Rockets aren't trading Adams for CJ and adding picks on top on the theory that doing that helps them win now. It doesn't.

LarsV8 · Post #3 » by **LarsV8** » Mon Sep 29, 2025 4:48 pm

Yea, CJ isn't worth anything close to that.

He is a buyout candidate.

Post #4 » by **nate33** » Mon Sep 29, 2025 7:14 pm

CJ for FVV and a lotto protected pick makes some amount of sense, but Houston isn't including Adams.

Post #5 » by **penbeast0** » Tue Sep 30, 2025 5:37 pm

Saul Goodman wrote:to Houston
Cj McCollum
Malaki Brahnam

to

Washington
Fred Vanvleet
Steven Adams
2028 top 10 protected 1st
2026 Chicago 2nd

Washington is still in tank and asset mode. This does both. It prevents extra wins that Cj might go off and get on his own. They take on some bad money to get an extra 1st as well

Houston is in win now mode. Starting Reed is a bigger risk than making this move. CJ is a reliable 2nd scorer in crunch time next to KD. Amen can take on the playmaking duties

CJ/Amen/DFS/KD/Sengun

Sheppard/Eason/Smith JR/Capela

Fine with keeping Branham and having Houston keep Adams. Would FVV waive his no trade to go to a rebuilding Wizards team?

longfellow44 · Post #6 » by **longfellow44** » Tue Sep 30, 2025 6:00 pm

That is an incredibly expensive protected first.

FVV won't be playing this year and may not be any good by the time he does come back. Steven Adams is a great teammate and a solid enforcer but he doesn't have any value to a tanking team like the wizards.

Post #7 » by **nate33** » Tue Sep 30, 2025 6:30 pm

longfellow44 wrote:That is an incredibly expensive protected first.

FVV won't be playing this year and may not be any good by the time he does come back. Steven Adams is a great teammate and a solid enforcer but he doesn't have any value to a tanking team like the wizards.

First round picks have gotten way more expensive. In the era of the 2nd Apron, those cheap rookie deals are valuable.

The Wizards view swapping CJ for a guy in street clothes to be net positive for this season because it will help them tank and provide more playing time for the youngsters. Next year, when the Wizards plan on trying to compete for the playoffs, having a solid vet like FVV will be helpful, and he may also be a potential trade asset.

MoreyWins · Post #8 » by **MoreyWins** » Wed Oct 1, 2025 6:39 am

The Rockets should have no intention on trading Steven Adams. He's one of their most impactful players, period. Being able to depend on Steven Adams winning his minutes most nights is super important.

I don't want them to move Freddy, either. I think a familiar veteran voice is always important to have when you're still cultivating young talent.

I'm almost certain CJ McCollum will not be a Wizard by season's end. They'll probably want to dump him to open up minutes for their younger talent. If I'm in Houston's position where I could either trade real stuff for CJ McCollum or wait until after the trade deadline for him to get bought out, I'd wait for him to request a buyout. Right now, there's more excitement in the air about what these jumbo lineups of point fowards, wings, and bigs are gonna look like for Houston.