After what could only be considered as a very successful season for the Houston Rockets, one in which they won 41 games, the franchise enjoyed the benefit of some very good luck on Sunday afternoon. The pick the team is owed from the Brooklyn Nets as a result of the 2021 blockbuster trade which sent James Harden to the Nets jumped from ninth in the lottery to third. Entering the lottery, the Rockets had just a 20.3% chance of that pick moving into the top four. Houston will now have had a top four pick in each of the last four drafts. In 2021, the franchise used the second overall pick on guard Jalen Green; in 2022, they used the third overall pick on forward Jabari Smith Jr.; in 2023, they used the fourth overall pick on guard Amen Thompson.
Speculation now begins as to what Houston would look to do with the pick. During media availability later on Sunday following the lottery results, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone stated that he felt the top of the draft was strong but that there wasn’t a consensus pick. Stone added it was very difficult to evaluate 18 or 19 year old players.
It was reported earlier in the week that the Rockets could consider trading the pick. That option would likely remain on the table. Likely names at the top of the draft are center Alex Sarr, forward Zaccharie Risacher, center Donovan Clingan, and guards Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham.
Houston already has a glut of young talent with the aforementioned three former lottery picks along with Alperen Sengun, Tari Eason, and Cam Whitmore all still under contract on their rookie-scale contracts. Even prior to Sunday’s results, it would have already been difficult finding minutes for another young prospect. Houston’s 41 wins and near play-in appearance in 2023-2024 make the case for trading the pick for an established player.
The Rockets’ own pick landed at 12th and will be routed to Oklahoma City as a result of the 2020 trade which sent Chris Paul to the Thunder for Russell Westbrook. That obligation had a top four protection.
In a move which was widely criticized at the time, Stone opted to trade Harden for a package composed primarily of future draft picks. Already, Houston used the 17th selection in the 2022 draft on Eason who led the team in net rating amongst its regular rotation players. Houston is still owed swap rights in 2025 and 2027 along with Brooklyn’s pick outright in 2026.
Per the Rockets’ own press release, this would mark the third time in franchise history that the team will have the third overall pick. The Rockets selected Jabari Smith Jr. in 2022 and Rodney McCray in 1983. Dating back to 2001, the third pick has produced 11 future All-Stars: Pau Gasol (2001), Carmelo Anthony (2003), Deron Williams (2005), Al Horford (2007), James Harden (2009), Bradley Beal (2012), Joel Embiid (2014), Jaylen Brown (2016), Jayson Tatum (2017), Luka Doncic (2018), and LaMelo Ball (2020).
