The Houston Rockets got lucky during Sunday’s NBA Draft Lottery, picking up the No. 3 overall selection in the annual draft.
For general manager Rafael Stone and Co., this could act as a home run. Houston is coming off a surprising 41-41 season and was in the postseason race up until the final couple weeks.
It has all to do with head coach Ime Udoka leading a talented young roster. Prior to missing the end of the season to injury, young big man Alperen Sengun showed he could be a major force (21.1 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 5.0 APG).
The likes of Jabari Smith Jr., Jalen Green, Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore also showed tremendous growth during the 2023-24 season. With veteran Fred VanVleet doing his thing at point guard, there is a lot to like in Houston.
Apparently, this has Stone looking to expedite Houston’s rebuild. According to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, the team is interested in flipping the No. 3 pick for more veteran help.
We’re likely going to see other teams selecting within the top five also look to flip picks. The 2024 NBA Draft is not as strong as previous iterations, meaning we could see a ton of trades.
Related: Houston Rockets recently tried betting against Phoenix Suns with rare trade attempt
Houston Rockets trade scenarios in the 2024 NBA Draft
Houston will also likely have to move off one of its young players in order to add a veteran starter to the mix. Jalen Green becomes the logical option with Cam Whitmore and Amen Thompson set to take on larger roles.
He’s a nice chip. The former No. 2 overall pick is still only 22 years old. This past season saw Green put up 19.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG and 3.5 APG on 42% shooting. Add in the No. 3 pick and salary fillers, and the Rockets could be on to something. Here are three ideal scenarios.
- Kyle Kuzma: Adding Kuzma to the mix in the frontcourt with Sengun and Smith Jr. could be a coup for the Rockets. The underrated forward averaged 22.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists on 46% shooting from the field a season ago. He’s a plus-level defender and has a great all-around game. A move of this ilk also might not cost as much as what we have listed below.
- Zach LaVine: This might make the most sense in that LaVine’s trade value is at an all-time low following an injury-plagued 2023-24 season. He can also play both the two and three, creating a nice amount of flexibility for the Rockets in the process. The idea here would be for Houston to move down from three to 11, adding more draft assets in order to help Chicago dump LaVine’s contract. From 2019-23 with the Bulls, LaVine averaged 25.5 points on 39% shooting from distance. He’d be an ideal fit in Houston.
- Dejounte Murray: We flirted with Trae Young here. But he’d be an odd fit with another smallish guard in that of VanVleet. Instead, Murray seems to be a better option. The All-Star has proven he boasts the capability of playing off the ball. Last season saw him average 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists on 46% shooting from the field. Would Houston be willing to give up the No. 3 pick for Murray? That’s the major question mark.
Related: Houston Rockets standing in Sportsnaut’s offseason NBA power rankings