HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 29: General Manager Daryl Morey and James Harden of the Houston Rockets poses for a photo as Harden is introduced to the media on October 29, 2012 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Daryl Morey-era Houston Rockets have always been willing to gamble. This reported Jimmy Butler offer is only the latest example.

Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta owns a lot of businesses, but the casinos he presides over are the most fitting for his position with the Rockets. Houston has been one of the most consistently successful franchises over the last few seasons, and much of their success has come through moves that could be characterized as gambles.

Although now it’s seen as one of the premier swindles of recent years, the trade that brought James Harden to Houston certainly wasn’t without risk. Harden was clearly good, but Rockets GM Daryl Morey gave up two good players and two first round picks to get him, an offer that would’ve been disastrous if Harden didn’t work out.

Morey then took a swing on adding talent in whatever way possible by signing Dwight Howard, which did not end up working out too well. After Houston’s Dwightmare ended, the Rockets nabbed Mike D’Antoni to coach. The new coach had quite the pitch to MVP candidate James Harden: could he possibly play a whole new position?

The grand experiment worked, of course, and Harden looked fully realized as a point guard. Then, just one year later, Morey went and traded for Chris Paul, sliding Harden back to his old position. Questions emerged, as they always do, about if the two stars could play together.

They could indeed, as Houston got so painfully close to knocking out the Golden State Warriors in the 2018 Western Conference Finals. The Rockets did what they always do when they come up short, and went and got Carmelo Anthony just to see if there was enough left in the tank to pull off their title run. And now, of course, there’s the reported monster offer to acquire Jimmy Butler.

It turns out Daryl Morey and the Houston Rockets are pretty good at this rolling the dice thing. Trading four first rounders for Butler could be an unmitigated disaster, considering the last one wouldn’t be slated to convey until 2025.

That said, Houston’s mindset is championship or bust. Morey and the Rockets will do what they believe they have to in order to get over the hump. This is only the latest gamble for the Rockets, and the franchise has a history of walking away with the most chips.

#Content you can’t miss

It’s Showtime; Paul Centopani details the time he got to meet Magic Johnson

A fascinating look at play-calling; Caitlin Cooper breaks down a not safe for work titled play the Pacers modified

#StephBetter; Sam Amick breaks down how Steph Curry was back to his MVP self against the Washington Wizards

Bully-ball Blake is back; Brenden Welper has three reasons to explain why Blake Griffin is playing so well

The trade that rocked NBA Twitter; Jay Busbee shares his thoughts on the first matchup between Trae Young and Luka Doncic

Another undefeated team; James Grieco goes into detail on the Pelicans’ perfect start to the season