“They Need a Conductor”: Dwyane Wade Boldly Claims Chris Paul Can Fill Rockets’ Biggest Hole

The Houston Rockets have been one of the hardest teams to figure out in the 2025-2026 season. The squad added Kevin Durant over the summer and has shown that they can go toe to toe with the elites in the competitive West. But there have been more Ls against top contenders than Ws, and one has to wonder if KD, Sengun, Adams, and company can get the job done when the lights are at its brightest.

Houston is currently 23-15, which is good enough for the No. 6 seed following their loss to the Thunder. But the Suns are hot on their tail, and the last thing Houston would want is to have to waste energy on the Play-In tournament at the end of the season.

One thing that is clearly missing from the Rockets is a veteran who can orchestrate some consistency in the squad, and Dwyane Wade has the perfect choice. The Miami Heat legend suggested that Houston look at adding Chris Paul to their roster, considering the future Hall of Fame Point God is available following his messy exit from the Clippers.

“They need an organizer. They need a quarterback. They need a conductor. They need a guy who can get guys in their spots. They need a guy who can play with bigs. They got Sengun, they got Adam. Chris Paul out there. They need a veteran. They need a guy who don’t need to score. Chris Paul out there,” stated Wade on today’s NBA pregame on Amazon Prime.

Dwyane Wade suggest the Rockets should go get CP3 pic.twitter.com/godlvqtSkF

— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) January 16, 2026

Wade could certainly be cooking here. CP3 is clearly looking for one final path before he retires. Connecting up with Houston could be the opening he was looking for in Los Angeles, but it depends on Houston’s roster. The Clippers team didn’t seem interested in connecting with the 40-year-old. If the Rockets embrace him, who knows what that can unlock in the 12-time All-Star.

It also would allow Durant, another veteran legend, to not have to carry the burden by himself. The burden of being the one who the team looks to during big moments. The burden of holding all the pressure on your back because you are the biggest name. CP3 has the clutch gene just like Durant.

At the end of the day, this Rockets season might come down to whether they want to keep riding raw talent or finally lean into experience. Houston has enough firepower to scare anyone, but playoff series are decided in the margins. Late-game decisions, tempo control, and knowing when to step on the gas or slow everything down.

That’s where a move like Paul isn’t about box scores or nostalgia, it’s about survival in the West. If the Rockets truly believe this window with KD is real, then adding a steady hand could be the difference between being a fun regular-season problem and a team nobody wants to see in April.

About the author

Joseph Galizia

Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He's excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he'll be covering the NBA news cycle.

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