With the 10th pick in the NBA Draft the Houston Rockets Select...

Not only is that not going to happen, you will get to fight against Giannis in the division AND then you are going to get force fed a bunch of BS about how the team is built better through continuity. Just telling you now. Gonna get a healthy dose of Jalen Green propaganda.

 

Stone Cold Truth.

 

Our guys can be in their prime all they want they aren't contending for crap. SA will be a better team than us when they get Giannis so none of this matters anyway

 

the nba rigged the spurs to get no 2 so they are getting Giannis… it’s done

 

Giddy is going to get a max contract from Chicago. I’ve gotten a little more excited about Trae as long as FVV is going out in the deal. Then turnaround and trade Jalen and a couple of picks for another shooting frontcourt player like Collins.

 

I don’t understand how people don’t realize the Spurs are getting Giannis… they are Europe’s team now with Wemby and adding Giannis only furthers that for the nba.

 

Idk if its been said, but Kon shot 106/113 on FTs this yr. 91% on 4 per game. I would trade up.

 

Let's see how things shape up. Right now I'd trade it. Try to move Cam, Green, Brooks as well.

 

Giannis is going to pick where he wants to go.

 

CMB, Bryant, or Flemming and even then I say trade it for a 1st round next year which we don't currently own.

 

Trading for a pick in 2026 could be appealing simply because it actually adds an extra pick to our trade pile. Currently we can't trade both 2027 picks, but if we had 2026 we could.

 

I see a few votes for CMB (6'6.5 239). Meh. That's ok if you're looking to replace Jae'Sean Tate on the roster. While I'd like to add positive shooting or guard play, I don't yet see how to do that with this draft slot. At #10 today, I'm taking Carter Bryant (6'6.5 214.8 with 6'11.75 wingspan and 8'10 reach).

He wasn't asked to do much scoring at Arizona (note his extremely low-usage numbers), but he's a legitimate 3-D player. Bryant's ridiculously athletic (39" vertical, very quick) and an NBA-caliber defender from day 1. He's got quickness at the forward position that Brooks will never have.

If you have Amen, Carter Bryant, and Tari/Bari on the court, you can stop people, crash the glass, and run. When Bryant makes the switch, you'd have a forward that can legitimately strike fear into a scorer's heart (like Amen). He won't get pushed around, and his closeouts are exceptional.

The big negative is that you can't ask Carter Bryant to handle the ball. He's a finisher only at this point. My guess is that at age 20, he's never been asked to do that. (Sort of like Tari had never been asked to dribble with his left hand until he got to the NBA.) In a year, Bryant will be quite functional with the ball and at least as good as our other limited ball handlers (Jabari, Brooks, and Jalen Green).

This move makes Brooks, who has definite trade value, entirely expendable at the deadline. But I'm unconvinced Stone would make any moves mid-season.

 

The only way we get Giannis he will have to say, “I want to play in Houston for Coach Udoka”

 

If we keep the pick we're going to take Carter Bryant. He's the guy that all three of Stone, Witus, and Ime will like.

He should be in the poll.

He has the defense that Ime will love, the 3 and D plug and play role player tools Witus will like, and the physicals and potential that Stone will like. He's a Rockets type of pick if I've ever seen one.

 

The guys I would be interested in if they're there at 10.

Colin Murray Boyles
Khaman Maluach
Kon Knueppel (god we need shooting)

Guys I'd like if they could effing shoot it:

Kasparas Jakucionis
Egor Demin

But they both shot 27% from 3 and I am deathly afraid of further hurting our already abysmal spacing

Guys I'd trade down for if they go later and/or fall:

Rasheer Fleming
Carter Bryant (who USA Today has taking at 10)

I loved what USA Today had to say:

"Bryant is a versatile wing with defensive upside. Houston needs athleticism and length, and Bryant fits their system well."

Literally all we have is length and athleticism and we have an absurd amount of it. We might have in Amen, Tari, Jalen and Cam 4 of the top 25 athletes in the whole league. It's our only strength. Does this guy watch basketball?

 

I am very high on CB he reminds me of a sane Ron Artest.

 

Been at the top of my wish list since early in the season.

Kid was shooting 50/41/88 before an arm injury forced him to miss a couple games.

Probably the 2nd best passer in this draft behind Egor Demin who is fantastic in the pick and roll, Kasparas being a much better shooter.

He really understands pace and space .... This is exactly the type of player this roster lacks - one that can shoot and distribute.

Kon Knueppel won't be there at 10, Kasparas may not be there either.

 

Obviously, if there is an advantageous trade out or trade down scenario that nets us desirable future draft equity, we should do it.

But the NBA draft is not the NFL draft -- NBA draft picks are not a liquid market, someone else has to make the offer for you to accept it, and those offers are rare. The truth is it is unlikely that someone offers us a 2031 unprotected pick and and 2032 unprotected swap, or something like that. Not because the value is wrong, but because that's not in anybody else's plan right now. Stone can't just make it happen.

So most likely we will pick a player in the first round. I anticipate either Cam or Dillon not being here next year, so IMO there is room to add a wing and he'd have an opportunity to earn role player minutes, even if we run it back elsewhere.

So, assuming we pick (maybe at 10 maybe trade back), I think these guys make sense:

- Knueppel: he's not perfect but elite impact metrics, shooting metrics, feel, and strong enough to make up for some physical limitations as a wing defensively
- Clifford: can't take a 23yo mid major guy at #10, but Clifford's game as a do it all wing is nice as hell and the impact metrics are great. Great feel and competitiveness too.
- Bryant; not my absolute favorite, but he meets the criteria

All these guys are Ime guys IMO. Big time competitors. Unlike others have said, I wouldn't be surprised if Knueppel fell - I really doubt any of UTA/WAS/NOP/BKN/TOR would take him, given their respective situations.

 

The fact that this team lacks a #1 option is reason enough to make the pick - there are 3-4 guards who have the potential to be that #1 option / offensive engine - even if it takes a couple years.

They have to swing for the stars at every opportunity.

 

Where do we find minutes for him?

Maybe if Dillon, Tari, and/or Bari are going out in a trade.