The Western Conference’s 11th seed luck skyrocketed their NBA draft pick position to the less expected position this 2023-24 Draft Pick event. The Houston Rockets’ odds of getting the 3rd pick of the first round were low, thus, it came as a surprise to the franchise that they could acquire a young superstar.
Initially, the Rockets had made it clear that their next NBA Draft would be up for trade to claim a better asset for the club. However now that the Rockets have a better chance of landing an incredible player, they might not trade off this valuable asset. The Rocket’s General Manager, Rafael Stone, explained that:
“The caveat always was we’d be willing to move it if we got something that was worth us moving it, but at the same time valuing the player we think we’d bring in. Probably the higher likelihood we’ll be interested in the player at three but also potentially maybe other teams will be, too. Potentially, maybe other teams will be more aggressive to try to trade in for that.”
Therefore which of the 2024 NBA draft picks would fit the Houston Rocket’s young team?
Houston Rockets 2024 NBA Draft Outlook
The Houston Rockets finished close to the play-in tournament to qualify for the best-of-seven series with 41 wins out of 82 games. This result gives the Rockets a thumbs up to their rebuild strategy with youngsters, despite having three previous bad seasons.
“We are not really special or really good right now, but that is our goal. Looking back, I guess three years ago now, the decisions we made were for me, a pretty easy one. At the time we made the first of the rebuilding trades; I think everybody internally in our organization was completely aligned on the rationale.” – Rocket’s GM, Rafael Stone.
The Rocket’s roster comprises players in their early 20s. Therefore, it would be ideal to use their third NBA Draft pick, acquired from the James Harden to Nets trade, to be a player with good offensive capabilities because the team ranked 20th in offensive rating last year.
Possible First-Round Picks In the 2024 NBA Draft
These are some star NBA players who should make the first-round pick on June 26, 2024. Also, at the end, you would know the Rocket’s Fans favorite.
Alex Sarr, Center
Alex Sarr is a 19-year-old French Basketballer who plays for the Perth Wildcats of the Australian National Basketball League. The 7’ 1 footer plays the center of his team and averages 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in the 2023-24 season. As a preparation for the 2024 NBA Draft, he joined the NBL. Since then, he has displayed his basketball skills by supporting his team defensively and offensively.
Nikola Topic, Point Guard
Nikola Topic is a Serbian basketballer like the 2024 MVP, Nikola Jokic. The 6’ 6 footer played for the Red Star and averaged 14.5 pts, 3.2 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in the 2023-24 season. Due to his offensive prowess, the Serbian has caught the eye of NBA Scouts which puts him as a first-round pick prospect.
Rob Dillingham, Point Guard
Rob Dillingham is a 19-year-old from Hickory and plays for Kentucky. During the 2023-24 season, the 6’ 2 footers averaged 15.2 points, 3.9 assists, and 2.9 rebounds which helped his team win 23 matches out of 33 games. Though Rob Dillingham has some weaknesses in his performance as a basketball, there is room for development and growth on his ends
Donovan Clingan, Center
Donovan Clingan is an American college basketballer who played two seasons for the UConn Huskies winning two National Championships. His second season with the Huskies as a Center was better than his first as he averaged 13 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, scoring 63.9% from the field. In the 2023-24 season, Clingan ranked 9th overall in field goal percent.
The 7’ 3 footer wings out from Bristol and he is 20 years old. Therefore, having a youngster who can protect the rim and give the team points to remain dominant is an invaluable asset to look out for.
Houston Rocket Fans Favorites
The 19-year-old 6’ 3 footer hails from London and also played for the Kentucky team. During the 2023-24 season, Reed Sheppard averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.1 rebounds in 33 games. Also, the 6’ 3 footer plays as a point guard and shooting guard with a mix of high defensive IQ. Having a basketball player with such adept could make the Rockets championship contenders in the 2024-25 season. Finally, the Kentucky guard’s strength overshadows his weakness and ESPN ranks him as the No. 23 prospect in the Top 100 NBA Draft list.
Also Read: San Antonio Spurs Best Pick For Wembanyama In 2024-25 Draft
About the Author
Wisdom is an email and brand copywriter with two years of content writing experience. He started Cloud Kitchen Concept to help startups and business owners elevate their brands from good to great. You can connect with him on LinkedIn and Instagram to enjoy cooked meals for your business’s growth.
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