When LSU forward Tari Eason was picked by the Rockets at No. 17 overall in the 2022 NBA draft, he became the first draft asset from the blockbuster James Harden trade (the January 2021 version involving Brooklyn and Houston) to be officially realized. But he’s far from the last.
Because of that Harden deal, the Rockets currently have a first-round pick headed their way from the Nets or a right to swap first-round picks with Brooklyn in each of the next five drafts, through 2027. All are unprotected, meaning that even if one of those Brooklyn picks ended up at No. 1 in the first-round order, it would still go to Houston.
Thus, what’s bad for Brooklyn’s long-term outlook is good for Houston, and vice versa. So, in the aftermath of Harden’s forced departure earlier this year and constant uncertainty surrounding Kyrie Irving, we finally arrived at the biggest bombshell there could possibly be.
