Report: Houston Rockets have Paul George on their radar, have also talked about trading No. 3 pick

After an encouraging 2023-24 season that saw them go 41-41, the Houston Rockets are seemingly ready to give their roster some help, and star veteran Paul George is reportedly one player on the team’s radar — even if such a move is seen as “unlikely.”

In addition, the team has reportedly had conversations about trading the No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming draft in exchange for win-now help, another possible indication that the franchise feels ready to invest in the present.

“The Houston Rockets are big game hunting, and one of the many notable names on their radar is Paul George, league sources told HoopsHype,” wrote NBA insider Michael Scotto. “George could potentially exercise his $48.8 million player option to facilitate a trade to his next destination, but currently, the chances of Houston landing George are unlikely, sources said.

“Houston has also had exploratory conversations about trading their No. 3 overall pick in a package for a win-now player upgrade and potentially moving back in the draft, league sources said.”

The Rockets may have missed the postseason in the 2023-24 campaign, but finishing at .500 was a solid accomplishment in itself after the organization won 22 games or fewer in each of the previous three seasons.

Growth from players like Alperen Sengun and production from newcomers like Fred VanVleet helped the Rockets take a step forward, and now, the team may be ready to get aggressive this offseason in order to become more of a factor in the Western Conference.

When it comes to George, he has a player option attached to his deal for the 2024-25 season. As such, his future with the Los Angeles Clippers is a bit of a question mark, and there is seemingly no shortage of interest in him across the NBA.

This past season, the veteran averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from deep. He has had some strong seasons with the Clippers, but the team hasn’t been able to enjoy the type of playoff success it’s been looking for.

The Rockets would presumably love to taste the playoffs in any capacity in the 2024-25 campaign, as the organization hasn’t reached that stage since the bubble season. Adding George would certainly get the team closer to accomplishing such a goal, but as Scotto noted, the Rockets are facing long odds when it comes to potentially landing the nine-time All-Star.