The idea of Malik Monk ending up in Houston and Fred VanVleet landing in Sacramento is the kind of NBA trade chatter that makes a little more sense the longer you sit with it.
For the Rockets, the future at point guard is already looking different. VanVleet missed last season with a torn ACL, and Houston has kept moving forward without him.
Amen Thompson has continued to grow, and the Rockets also recently added Marcus Smart as a free agent. With that in mind, VanVleet may be the odd man out if Houston decides to reshape the backcourt.
Sacramento, meanwhile, has been open for business with its veterans. The Kings waived DeMar DeRozan, are likely considering a similar move with Zach LaVine, have abandoned Russell Westbrook to free agency, and would love to end the Domantas Sabonis era. That kind of roster churn makes almost any conversation possible.
Monk sits right in the middle of it. He remains a fan favorite and was once a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, but Sacramento reportedly spent a good chunk of the 2025 offseason trying to trade him before backing off when no offer matched what they wanted.
Since then, head coach Doug Christie has seemed unsure how Monk fits, and his 2025-2026 usage was described as sporadic and lacking in strategy at absolute best. A fresh start could make sense for him.
From Houston’s side, Monk would bring exactly the kind of scoring punch the bench could use. From Sacramento’s side, VanVleet would offer a veteran point guard with championship experience. It’s a clean basketball fit on paper, even if there are no remotely credible rumors tying the two sides together right now.
Still, the NBA has a way of turning unlikely ideas into reality. As the source of the speculation notes, nothing is impossible in this league.
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