Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. walks off the court after practice before the game against the Utah Jazz. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets are down one game in their series with the Golden State Warriors, and while the sky isn’t falling yet, alarm bells are ringing.

The Rockets didn’t have an answer for the Warriors with both Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler going off on the offensive end of the floor.

That’s one thing Houston may lack as a playoff contender: one player who can be a matchup nightmare 1-on-1. Alperen Sengun looked the closest to that part in Game 1 with 26 points and nine rebounds, but he also benefitted from a size advantage against Draymond Green for most of the night.

The Arizona Republic writer Duane Rankin suggests that the Rockets may be able to fix this by trading Jabari Smith Jr. for Kevin Durant, who has been rumored as an option for Houston to acquire.

“While the thought of Jalen Green sharing the backcourt with Devin Booker is intriguing, landing Smith Jr. from the Houston Rockets would give the Suns a versatile four man with upside. Obtaining draft picks as part of a deal with Houston is a given,” Rankin wrote.

Smith Jr. came off the bench to score 11 points in the team’s Game 1 loss, but his demotion from the starting lineup to the second unit in favor of Amen Thompson could be a sign that he’s on his way out this offseason.

Smith Jr. is a free agent after the 2025-26 season, so the Rockets will have to either sign him to a long-term extension for a lot more than what he’s making now or find a trade, potentially with the Suns.