Chris Paul–Russell Westbrook Trade Still Haunts Rockets
The Houston Rockets have long moved past their rebuilding phase, yet echoes of past deals continue to shape their future. Despite holding several valuable draft assets from the 2021 James Harden trade with the Brooklyn Nets—turned into the Phoenix Suns' 2027 and 2029 first-round picks—the team’s 2026 first-rounder is set to go to the Oklahoma City Thunder unless it lands in the top four, which would signal a disappointing season.
This obligation traces back to the 2019 trade that sent Chris Paul to the Thunder in exchange for Russell Westbrook. Houston also included first-round picks in 2024 and 2026, plus swap rights in 2021 and 2025. That gamble yielded just one year of Westbrook’s play, while Paul’s Thunder matched the Rockets’ 44–28 record and battled them in a grueling seven-game playoff series.
“In July 2019, the Rockets were clinging to fading hopes of making a championship run with James Harden and tried this deal out of desperation. It effectively flatlined those dreams for good and shifted everything for the franchise. Westbrook was always a strange choice to slot alongside Harden.” — Bleacher Report
Legacy of a Costly Gamble
As the 2025 season unfolds, the aftermath of that swap remains a cautionary tale about short-term ambition overtaking long-term vision in the NBA’s high-stakes trade market.
Author’s summary: A risky 2019 trade for Russell Westbrook continues to shape the Rockets’ destiny, draining assets and prompting reflection on missed opportunities and costly decisions.