Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green. Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

Rockets dodged a bullet when Nets rejected blockbuster trade

By Sai Mohan | Last updated 3/26/24

Remember when Jerry West vetoed a trade that would have sent Klay Thompson to the Timberwolves in exchange for Kevin Love in 2014? Exactly a year after that nixed trade, Thompson and the Warriors won their first championship in the Steve Kerr era. To this day, Warriors fans remain thankful for West's long-term vision, knowing well that the franchise owes its golden run to the brilliance of the Splash Brothers.

Perhaps a decade from now, Rockets fans would be thanking Nets general manager Sean Marks for nixing a trade that — if gone through — would have filled them with regrets.

According to NBA insider Shams Charania, the Nets rejected a trade centered around Jalen Green and multiple first-round picks in exchange for Mikal Bridges ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline.

“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 Nets. And now look…”@ShamsCharania on Jalen Green and the Houston Rockets. pic.twitter.com/i8uEpnjDEb
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 25, 2024

For those who haven't been paying attention to the Rockets, Green has been tearing up the league since Alperen Sengun went down with an injury.

During Houston's ongoing nine-game winning streak, Green is averaging 29 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting an incredible 44 percent from three. Green has almost single-handedly carried Houston to a position where it could surpass the Warriors for the final play-in spot out West.

During the same nine-game span, Bridges is averaging 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting a respectable 41 percent from three. The Nets are 4-5 during the stretch. They are nearly out of postseason contention, trailing the 10th-seeded Hawks by 5.5 games.

The Rockets dodged a bullet. But unlike in the Warriors' case where one of their own intervened and blocked a trade, the Rockets have the Nets front office to thank.

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