After having selected nine players in the first rounds of the past three drafts, the Rockets aren’t eager to add another young prospect to their roster for the 2024/25 season, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required).
As Feigen explains, the Rockets are more interested in adding to their stockpile of future draft assets by trading their 2024 lottery pick to a team willing to give up picks in 2025 and beyond. A person with knowledge of the team’s thinking tells The Chronicle that those efforts have been “ongoing” for several months and are expected to continue leading up to draft day on June 26.
Barring an unexpected development in Sunday’s draft lottery, the Rockets’ project to have this year’s No. 9 overall pick, which initially belonged to Brooklyn. Houston’s own first-rounder, which projects to be No. 12, will be sent to Oklahoma City unless it moves into the top four. In that scenario, the Rockets would hang onto it and would hold two lottery picks, but the odds of that happening are just 7.1%.
Reports earlier this year indicated that the Rockets inquired about Nets forward Mikal Bridges prior to February’s trade deadline and were willing to give up a combination of Jalen Green and some of Brooklyn’s first-round picks that Houston controls. However, according to Feigen, the Rockets’ primary goal in those talks with the Nets was to push back their collection of draft picks.
Two sources familiar with the teams’ discussions tell Feigen that Houston general manager Rafael Stone sought the Suns’ draft assets controlled by Brooklyn in exchange for Nets assets held by the Rockets. It’s unclear based on Feigen’s wording whether Stone was willing to return control of all of Brooklyn’s picks in exchange for all of the Nets’ Phoenix assets or if just some picks on either side were involved in those talks.
Either way, Brooklyn “quickly dismissed” the idea, per The Chronicle, since the Nets wanted to focus on its efforts to be a playoff team rather than pivoting to a rebuild and bottoming out in order to fully take advantage of having their own draft picks back.
In addition to controlling the Nets’ lottery pick this year, the Rockets own Brooklyn’s unprotected 2026 first-rounder and have swap rights in 2025 and 2027. The Nets, in turn, hold the Suns’ first-rounders in 2025, 2027, and 2029 (all unprotected), with swap rights in 2028.
Assuming the Nets don’t want to revisit that concept, Feigen suggests Houston could reach out to another team that has accumulated several extra future first-round selections, such as Utah or Oklahoma City. However, the Jazz made three first-round picks last year and have two more first-rounders this year, including one that’s projected to be No. 8, ahead of Houston’s top pick.
The Thunder, meanwhile, may not be looking to add a rookie to a deep roster that appears increasingly close to title contention. However, it’s worth noting – especially if Oklahoma City ends up picking three spots behind Houston – that OKC has shown a willingness to trade up in the first round in recent years to ensure it lands its top targets. The Thunder moved up from No. 12 to No. 10 last year to nab Cason Wallace.
The Rockets’ efforts will be complicated by the fact that the top of the 2024 draft class is widely considered to be weaker than usual, so the No. 9 pick this year wouldn’t necessarily be equivalent in value to No. 9 in a typical draft. But for the sake of comparison, the last time a selection in that range was traded exclusively for future draft assets, the Knicks received three protected first-rounders from the Thunder in exchange for the No. 11 pick in 2022.
I think everybody is lmao. This class is buns compared to next year
“Rockets looking to trade lottery pick for mid tier veteran 3/D wing” would make a lot more sense as an article, not even the biggest jokes in the NBA(bulls hornets wizards blazers lakers) are goin to give up future capital to draft a bust, which is all this draft has in it beside maybe 3 players
That statement gets made in every sport…
That’s what everyone thought about the 20 draft bs the 21, and people were supposedly shopping their picks. But considering Ant, Hali and Maxey… even Lamelo etc. So far 20 has produced more top end talent than the 21 draft everyone wanted to trade into.
And it’s sometimes right in each one.
Yet they will all play on an NBA team. You have to be good to get to that level.
What exactly does running these kids down get you?
Basketball draft picks have become worthless
It’s quite the opposite, actually. Hardly anyone gives them up after the Gobert and Mitchell trades.
Although, this draft specifically is considered lower on value. So in that you’re correct, comparatively.
Regardless of value, there’s always quality players in every draft. There’s just not any MVP level players, from a bird’s eye view.
Rockets need to learn from Thunder or Grizzlies on how to draft.
Rockets have 2 draft models
Thunder – capable to win 1 seed
Grizzlies – capable to win 1 seed
Starting point
Draft someone like Edward (ANT) or sign free agent like Brunson
Salaries
Brunson $24 million each year
VanVleet $44 million each year
How?
That VanVleet contract is horrible. Lucky duck
Yeah, just draft Edwards or sign Brunson. Easy moves to nail after all.
If you are sold on Sengun(hopefully he is 6’11) then all they need is a young PG. They have a good young team. Fred V has one of the worst contracts right now but only two years left, draft a PG and develop them. Also I would draft a defensive C too. Hopefully they won’t screw up like most teams do.
Sengun is literally the best player on the Rockets, what do you mean sold on, he should be their point center with everything going through him every offensive possession, Rockets just need to grow together, no need to do anything crazy
That’s fine but I’m just saying they need a PG like Collier and a backup shot blocking C and they would be all set. No need to trade their picks.
Alternatively, Rockets should draft Isiah Collier. They could definitely stand to add a 3rd guard behind Van Vleet and Green.
I’d also trade Eason for a late 1st and look to draft a back up center. Maybe Toronto or Milwaukee. Look to draft Ware, Missi, Filipkowski.
Eason easily steps in to replace Siakam at PF. Trent Jr is a FA so Toronto could roll with Quickly Barrett Barnes Eason Poetl as its starting 5.
Or Eason is a more reliable backup to Giannis.
Rockets have Smith have Whitmore have Thompson but could use a legit backup C to Sengun.
I agree with you on all this but they should keep Eason and turn him into a SF. Collier or another young PG and a backup shot blocking C is exactly what they need
Eason isn’t going anywhere
The Jazz will likely trade some of their draft picks this year. Of course, that’s unless there’s no takers. In that case, they’re always prepared so they’ll find some solid players at every pick.
I’m just hoping the Jazz can consolidate talent and picks into better young talent. No point in bringing in or keeping older vets. They’re at least 2-3 years from being consistent playoff contenders. Could take longer if their talent need to be reset again.
Maybe the Jazz can work out a trade or two? The Jazz need some wing defenders and a true PG. I’m also not sold on Kessler, at this point. He’s great for defending those traditional bigs, but he’s too timid on the perimeter. They need to push him more with getting comfortable out there. Get him out of his own mind.
Dillon Brooks, Amen Thompson and the 9th overall pick for Kyle Kuzma and Landry Shamet
FVV Green Kuzma Smith Sengun
Shamet Whitmore Eason Green Adams
Kuzma would be another shooter and scorer for them, think he’d do well under coach Udoka.
Shamet would also be a handy back up and it opens minutes for Whitmore.
Wizards get younger and add some much needed defence.
Yikes. What a terrible idea.
Whenever drafts like this come around (saying “this draft class sucks”), the middle 1st round and early 2nd round always has some gems that will become the best players in the class
I agree this draft does have some talent. You just need to scout well
Cette classe n’est pas faible ,bien au contraire il vaut mieux des joueurs moins star system mais plus polyvalent ,d’ailleurs combien de gens se plaigne que leurs équipe na pas de bon défenseur dans leurs équipe alors que cette cuvée vas combler beaucoup de manque de la part d’équipe comme Milwaukee .
The basis on which a draft would be declared “weak” in advance wouldn’t necessarily have anything to do with the relative value of pick #9 in that draft vs other drafts. Drafts get declared weak in advance by scouting people, and they do that based on the very top of the talent pool. It’s generally not about ceilings, as much as its about floors. A draft could have HOF ceilings everywhere, if there are not a handful of guys on which everyone can agree have star level floors, it’s a “bad” draft. By the time you get to pick #9, those guys would be gone even in the drafts that have them.
No idea what HOU would get for #9, but the pick will almost certainly have to have a name attached to it to trade at the kind of premium the NYK got for #11 in 2022. It’s about how badly the team acquiring the pick wants that particular player. OKC, had pick #12, and wanted Jalen Williams, but knew (believed) he wouldn’t be there after the NYK’s picked at #11 (whether for themselves or some other team). So, they paid a bunch for #11, even though they took Williams at #12. In OKC’s mind, they were trading 3 protected FRPs for Jalen Williams, not #11.