The Houston Rockets have discussed trading the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft with both the Brooklyn Nets and Memphis Grizzlies.

The Rockets' target in trade talks with the Nets is Mikal Bridges. However, Brooklyn is seeking players to add around Bridges in any deals they make.

The Grizzlies are reportedly attempting to move up to be in range to draft center Donovan Clingan. Memphis has a need for a long-term center to add to their core. Clingan isn't expected to be available when the Grizzlies select with the ninth overall pick.

The Houston Rockets are monitoring the potential availability of Donovan Mitchell should he decide not to sign an extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

The Rockets are believed to be more interested in a star of Mitchell's quality rather than other potentially available players such as Brandon Ingram and Mikal Bridges.

The Rockets are well-positioned to make a major trade with their rostered young players and future draft capital, both in terms of their own picks and those belonging to the Brooklyn Nets. The Rockets also own the No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft via the Nets.

Mitchell can become a free agent in 2025 and has most strongly been linked with the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat if he ends up not signing long-term with the Cavaliers. 

While the Houston Rockets were linked with a trade pursuit of Mikal Bridges back in January, they were also seeking a way to convert some of their future picks into picks that stretch further out into the future.

During that trade discussion, the Rockets offered the Brooklyn Nets their own first round picks back to them in exchange for the picks from the Phoenix Suns.

The Nets declined that scenario as they were pursuing a spot in the playoffs last season.

The Rockets ultimately held onto Brooklyn's pick in the 2024 draft and it moved up in the lottery to No. 3. 

Houston could reach out to other teams with a similar stockpile of picks such as the Utah Jazz or the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Rockets traded James Harden to the Nets in 2021 for unprotected first round picks in 2022, 2024 and 2026, along with pick swaps in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027. Brooklyn subsequently traded Kevin Durant to the Suns in 2023 for first round picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029, as well as a pick swap in 2028.

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 NBA held its 2024 draft lottery in Chicago on Sunday with the Atlanta Hawks winning the top overall pick. The Hawks entered the lottery with just a three percent chance of securing the top pick.

The NBA announced the finalists for 2023-24 Most Improved Player. The finalists are Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers, Alperen Sengun of the Houston Rockets and Coby White of the Chicago Bulls.

Maxey improved from 20.3 points and 3.5 assists per game to 25.9 points and 6.2 assists per game. Maxey also made his first All-Star team. In addition, the fourth-year guard took on an increased role for the Sixers following the James Harden trade and with Joel Embiid missing time due to injuries.

Sengun helped the Rockets improve from 22 wins last season to 41 wins this season. Sengun improved from 14.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists in his second season to 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists as a third-year player.

Coby White reclaimed his starting spot for the Bulls. After dipping to 9.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists last season, White improved to 19.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists this season.

The Houston Rockets signed general manager Rafael Stone and assistant general manager Eli Witus to multi-year contract extensions earlier this season. 

The Rockets had a jump from 22 wins in 22-23 to 41 wins in 23-24 after hiring Ime Udoka and adding Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks in the offseason.

Houston also has an encouraging young core headlined by Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green.

The Rockets promoted Stone to general manager in 2020 following the departure of Daryl Morey.

Rafael Stone could agree to a contract extension with the Houston Rockets this offseason, reports Marc Stein.

Stone was elevated to the top decision-maker with the Rockets front office in 2020 following the departure of Daryl Morey.

The Rockets jumped by more than 20 wins this season with Ime Udoka in his first season as head coach. Houston signed Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks last offseason while their young core developed in an encouraging way. The Rockets are expected to pursue their trade options this offseason, while also having extension decisions on Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green.

"All indications Stone is firmly entrenched at the heart of Houston's decision-making," writes Stein.

The Brooklyn Nets turned down a trade offer from the Houston Rockets at the deadline involving Jalen Green and multiple first-round picks for Mikal Bridges, said Shams Charania on Run It Back.

"Taking us back two months ago, the Rockets called the Nets on Mikal Bridges and I'm told they discussed a concept around Jalen Green and multiple first-round picks.

"That deal was not accepted by the Brooklyn Nets, that didn't progress anywhere," said Charania.

Green is averaging 29.3 points per game over the Rockets nine-game win streak.

The Rockets are 0.5 games behind the Warriors for the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference.

The NBA has suspended Kris Dunn of the Utah Jazz and Jabari Smith Jr. of the Houston Rockets. The two players were involved in an on-court altercation in their teams' game on Saturday night.

Dunn was suspended for two games for initiating the fight and for throwing a punch. He'll miss Utah's games against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday and the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.

Smith was suspended one game for fighting with Dunn. He'll miss Houston's games on Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers.