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

Too slow.

 

I could see the Jazz being willing to take Green to pair him up for the Filipino market. I'd be good with a 5th pick for Green swap and take Tre and be happy.

 

Is that all we need? Just someone who can contribute right away?

Or do we really need a go to scoring option?

As it stands now, I'd rather swing for the fences on a potential star than settle for someone who may be able to contribute to a team loaded with players that can contribute.

After Dallas won the lottery, our best asset lost considerable value, it's no longer looking like a sure fire lotto pick.
What happens in PHX with Durant is really going to impact our future draft asset value - it may be addition by subtraction. It's really hard to see them being a 36 win team again, even before a deal is done .... while they will probably demand some draft picks in that deal, they are likely to prioritize talent in return even more because they don't control their draft assets thru 2031, tanking isn't an option. It will require ~$45m in outgoing salary for a team to take back his salary - it's likely they get a couple good players in return.

The Brooklyn pick swap is still two years away .... they get a lotto pick this draft and possibly another next year to add to a roster with decent talent. They also have the most cap space in the league right now. That 27 swap is ... who knows.

The Rockets don't have a pick in 26 and shouldn't be a lottery team in 27 or beyond for at least a few years.
When's their next bite at the lottery talent apple?

With no clear #1, they need to go for upside.

 

Im really hoping someone takes Maluach in the top 8 pushing someone else down a spot.

I want to see one of Knueppel, Jakucionis or Demin available at 10.

If not, trade back or out completely.

In a trade back scenario, I wonder if Atlanta would give 13 & 22 for 10? Where you might be able to get both Coward & Fleming or move that extra pick for a pick in 2026 to increase trade flexibility.

 

The Rockets need to (and will) consolidate their young assets and trade for a star. They will not have enough cap to pay their 7 cores. Subtract Cam and Reed, their 5 young players will command more than 200 mil already. This doesn’t include essential vets like Brooks and Adam. If they go for a high upside 18 yr old prospect, it would only exacerbate their future financial constraints. They will lose a lot of their players after big trade, and will need cheaper role players in the near future.

 

I'm pretty all-in on believing Amen is the #1 of the future for us. And the future might be sooner than you think.

And even if you don't agree with that--The thing about swinging for the fences is, you need to have a roster with minutes available for "that guy", and you need a coach who is willing to play "that guy" enough minutes to prove himself. Up through 2023, I think we had plenty of opportunity to do that, and I was completely on your side here. That's why I wanted us to draft Amen in the first place. On top of that, the #10 pick is not a great place to swing for the fences. It could be worse, and franchise players have been found that late (and much later), but the odds are already pretty low by the time you get into the latter third of the lottery.

I think if we draft a raw guy with lots of upside here--which is the best way to find a superstar late in the lottery--what will likely happen is he will get no minutes, and will end up getting shipped off to another team. With his development either crippled, or him becoming a superstar for them instead of us.

That's no way to draft in our situation.

Lastly, the nice thing about Nique Clifford is that, despite being an older prospect, he actually is pretty gifted with strong physical tools. He's not really your typical "safe roleplayer" type of pick. I don't think it's likely that he'll become a #1/#2 type of guy, but it's not impossible.

 

I think the difference is that I don't really care if a rookie plays this year, I see our window opening 2-3 years down the line.
These guys are so young, its great that they overachieved this year ... but they have a lot of maturing to do and all of them won't stick around.
That gives us time to develop young guys, even if they don't get a lot of minutes as rookies.

As for Amen becoming the #1 scoring option, maybe .... but he's a long way from that currently. I think ultimately, he'll be a great player but I'm not so sure he's the guy you want taking a high volume of shots - on the ball (outside of transition).

 

Yep. This kid is a gamer. Very athletic and ca shoot from deep. Kind of reminds me of Donovan Mitchell with a better shot.

 

Even as a Jalen fan Id love that but Ainge aint dumb lol

 

DMich is bigger. Plus dont we have Reed? We can't have Reed and Clayton backcourt thats way too small

 

If you trade for a star making the super max how does that make the financial situation better? Aside from Amen nobody is slated to make the max and if nobody else is making the max he might do a Sengun and also take less than max just so everyone can be together.

If you have a supermax Amen will for sure want a super max too. So two supermax+sengun who would also want a max if Amen and that other guy is making the max so really you would also reach that same 200M bill but with just 3 players instead of 5.

 

knicks pay their top 5 152M
timberwolves 155M
pacers 128M
celtics 163M

200M seems unrealistic, two of them already signed less than max rookie extensions. rookie scale contracts outplaying their value is one of the best 'cheap roleplayer' options in the nba

 

Khaman Maluach is going in the top 9. When you’ve got size like that, prospective shooting touch like that, and you’re still a teenager? That’s a no-brainer.

 

I agree. That is why we should trade down and draft older, higher floor player(s) who can contribute right away ie Fleming or Wolf. I don’t want the Rockets to draft 18 year old kid who they have to groom for 2 or 3 more years.

 

starting to grow on me

 

It's a waste opportunity if he isnt drafted by the raptors to play with Dick.

 

He has some touch around the basket. He doesn't have a jumper. Stone shouldn't select him imo.

 

Can u believe the Magic took this off their website?