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

If 10+Cam got you Johnson or Knueppel…you’d take it right?

 

Same-draft picks usually get traded at the draft when it's obvious who's still on the board. In other words, the Rockets draft X player for the trading team, then trade that player. The exception us the #1 pick when the team that trades for it knows who they will take.

 

I would for either of the two. Not only would they instantly become the best shooters on the team, but we get to reset our cap flexibility by adding another core piece on a rookie scale contract. And we can then move Jalen’s contract and recoup some value, while knowing we have a viable replacement. The floor for both Kon and Tre is extremely high because they can both handle the ball and shoot it at a high level. Jalen is still trying to improve his handles and shooting efficiency heading into season 5.

I honestly don’t want to draft someone at #10 unless we have a very very strong conviction about a particular player. Otherwise, trading up for Kon or Tre, trading out of the draft, or trading back seem like better options. After about pick #7 it seems like there is a massive tier of players that stretches into the 20s

 

Basically this. Jakucionis, trade up, or trade out for me. There a couple of guys that intrigue me later in the draft, but would likely need a consolidation trade to consider it.

 

Hard to get excited about a pick that's not going to even come close to getting in the rotation next year - trade this bad boy away

 

Yep. As soon as the lottery was over, it was likely that the Rockets wouldn't get a rotation player and made the draft more boring. Heck, might not even field a summer league team unless they have an obligation to.

 

Agreed.

It's as good as gone.

And, all you folks raving on about Nipple (No D/slow as molasses)and Maluach (Charmin soft...at least against UH, a back up 5)....C'mon now.

#10 is an asset that should maximized..in a consolidation trade for a star.

 

5. Utah Jazz: Kon Knueppel, G/F, Duke
If Knueppel falls to the Jazz, feel good about it. There's more to his game than being an elite motion shooter. He is the modern Mr. Fundamental — a smart hooper who can facilitate, cut and make the right basketball play more often than not.

The Jazz need that after being in the bottom 10 in offensive rating and having the highest turnover rate in the league. He'd already be their best shooter as a rookie, but it will come down to his defense to get consistent minutes. I like the Chris Mullin comps.

 

But it is not a "near max contract". 3 vs 5 years plus the money per year is 2% of the cap less. That is very different than a "near max" deal.

Next year he is the 52nd most expensive player in the NBA in the same range of guys like Jalen Suggs, Immanual Quickley, and Dejounte Murray. All are probably starting level guards who have had some flashes but been inconsistent and have deficiencies in their game.

Just because he won't be reaching his top 20% outcomes and probably won't fit with the rest of the current Rockets core, doesn't mean he cannot become a good starting level guard in the league.

Just not here because most Rockets fans have made their decision about him being future superstar or a bust.

 

Trade with the Nets
10 & 60
For
19, 26 &27
Load up the Vipers and hope for the best. Coach is not playing any one anyway. We don’t have a FRP pick for next year, yet. This is a way of keeping the development. going. The drop off between mid to late FRP isn’t that steep this year. We could net a role player or two tied to a crazy team-friendly contract over the next 6-7 years or cut ties with them in 2 years with no real loss. When the core starts to get paid every contact will count. We will need cheap help. Why not grow our own.

Nets have 8 &10 after this trade and could work both into the rotation and give them both room to grow.

 

Lol… I know what you’re saying but that’s a bit like adding Usman Garuba, Josh Christopher and Tyty Washington if you ask me. I’d pick the best point guard or 3/D you like and hope they pan out.

 

Suggs’ contract averages out to $30 mil per and its declining. Quickly’s contract averages out to $32 mil per. Murray’s contract is $28 mil per. Jalen’s contract is $35 mil per. So I take your point that it’s not a bad contract, especially when u consider it’s only 3yrs. But I still think Jalen’s salary could be better spent elsewhere. Hopefully I’m underselling his value on the trade market. What do u think Jalen’s trade value is? Early lotto or mid-lotto?

 

If we stay at 10 I think Jakucionis is the guy. He's 6'6" in shoes and is capable of playing both guard spots. He has a high pedigree and flashed the most upside by far IMO of the prospects in our draft range, at least early in the season. He also fills a big area of need: someone who can create their own shot and make plays for others. He looked plenty comfortable making off the dribble threes and getting to the FT line. He may not have great athleticism but his defense looked fine to me.

His lack of physical tools and big drop off in the second half of the season indicates high bust potential, but I'd still rather take a chance on upside in a position of need rather than just take someone with a perceived high floor. He's only 18 years old and doesn't need to be productive right away.

 

This year probably mid-lotto only because I think the mid lotto is a lot of high risk/reward guys, and Green underperformed so recently that his value is somewhat low. Having said that, there are definitely teams that have been bad for so awhile or looking like there is no hope that they could be talked into trading for 20 pt potential all star who is under contract on a tradable deal for 3 years like Wash, Char, Utah, New Orleans, Toronto, Brooklyn.

The biggest issue with trading Green is that his poison pill of the outgoing cap doesn't expire (July 1st) until after the NBA draft (June 25). I think purely due that he is probably safe until the trading deadline.

I also think any Rockets trade with Jalen will have to be a 3 team deal for the Rockets to get a player who would actually help this team as currently constructed for 25-26.

 

Teams agree to terms, and make the trade later often. I doubt the poison pill is an issue for a few days in the offseason.

 

A nod to a Former Rockets Legend from Derik Queen :

 

So true but Grimes was taken after both Garuba and Christopher. Turing one pick into three increases the chances of success. Lots of talent in this draft. If the goal is the Vipers for development no real loss if it leads to nothing less. Cap space is going to get critical in the near future. We should be looking for playable players to fill out our roster not superstars or even starters. Role players that have purpose and will get spot playing time in situations where the team needs a little more of one particular thing, by the coach as he grows.

 

the problem with that is Ime. He doesn’t need players that get spot playing time, he already has that on his bench and refuses to play them. Stone needs to force Ime’s hand by off-loading FVV. Durant would be perfect for FVV, filler and #10 and maybe a future Rockets pick (not Phoenix pick). Use other picks for bench shooting or maybe even an upgrade at SG. Amen, SG, Durant, Jabari, Sengun is a strong contending first unit, that even Ime can’t f*ck up. Durant’s age would force some better minutes allocation to the bench.