Houston Rockets

Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka are "fans" of Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart, according to The Athletic's Kelly Iko.

Iko floated a scenario in which the Grizzlies packaged Smart and the No. 9 overall pick in order to swap places with Houston at No. 3 overall in the 2024 NBA draft.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported on June 15 that Houston is amenable to trading back if it can land "a player who can help the franchise win now and elevate to a playoff team and sustainable success as a playoff team going forward."

Smart would seemingly meet that threshold. The 30-year-old grew to become a locker room leader for the Boston Celtics over his nine years there, and that would be invaluable for the Rockets as they look to take the next step after finishing with their best record (41-41) since 2019-20.

The 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year and a three-time All-Defensive honoree, he would also be a great fit in the backcourt alongside Fred VanVleet. He and Udoka have an existing rapport, too, thanks to Udoka's one season as Boston's head coach in 2021-22.

Smart had a forgettable debut campaign in Memphis. He averaged 14.5 points, 4.3 assists and 2.1 steals through 20 appearances before getting sidelined in mid-January with a finger injury. He didn't return for the remainder of the year.

The extent to which the Grizzlies are willing to shop Smart in trades is unclear. He's still under contract for two more seasons, so there isn't the looming threat of him leaving as a free agent.

Memphis could, however, prefer to spend the $41.8 million Smart is due to earn differently.

Desmond Bane is starting his max extension in 2024-25. As a result, the franchise has nearly $96 million committed to just he, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. next season. That doesn't leave a ton of wiggle room with a projected salary cap of $141 million.

Flipping Smart for a rookie on a cost-controlled deal would also give general manager Zach Kleiman more long-term flexibility as he continues to construct the roster around the trio of Bane, Morant and Jackson.

The Houston Rockets "have demonstrated serious interest" in Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard with the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, according to ESPN's Jeremy Woo.

Woo reported Houston's front office and ownership are "intrigued by his fit as a shooter and playmaker next to their established young talent."

Sheppard averaged 12.5 points and 4.5 assists in his lone season with the Wildcats, and he was a dead-eye shooter from deep, hitting 52.1 percent of his attempts.

Back-to-back 3's from @reed_sheppard 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/KIaBBROPfi

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) March 15, 2024

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman compared him to the New York Knicks' Donte DiVincenzo and former Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich.

"At best, he demonstrates enough burst and shiftiness to blow by or separate, turning into more of a lead guard," Wasserman wrote in his scouting report. "Sheppard isn't an explosive athlete, but he can surprise defenders with a quick first move or decent elevation on pull-up jumpers. Offense can run through his high skill level as a playmaker and shotmaker, along with his basketball IQ."

Sheppard was also projected to land with the Rockets in Wasserman's most recent mock draft, in part because he'd be a great fit for Houston's roster.

HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported last week the Rockets are willing to deal their first-round pick "for a player who can help the franchise win now."

That makes sense given how the organization approached last season. Hiring Ime Udoka as head coach and signing guard Fred VanVleet to a $128.5 million contract was a way to accelerate what had been a listless rebuild to that point. The strategy paid off as Houston went from a 22-win team to finishing .500.

Utilizing the No. 3 overall selection into experienced ready-made talent would better help the Rockets achieve their short-term ambitions.

This isn't a good year to be a seller in the draft, though. The lack of a standout prospect in the 2024 class means even the teams with a top-five pick might find few worthwhile trade offers.

In the event Houston keeps its pick, Sheppard would be an ideal target.

The Houston Rockets may opt to use the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft as a bargaining chip.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the team is "open" to trading the pick if the return would be in the form of an impact player.

"The Houston Rockets are open to moving the No. 3 overall pick for a player who can help the franchise win now and elevate to a playoff team and sustainable success as a playoff team going forward," Scotto wrote.

Houston is pretty familiar with picking toward the top of the draft at this point. The franchise has not qualified for the postseason since 2019-20 and has made a selection in the top four in each of the last three seasons.

While adding another young player can't hurt, leveraging that opportunity into a more seasoned asset could be exactly what Houston needs to jump into playoff contention.

The Rockets went 41-41 last season, finishing 11th in the Western Conference.

That mark left them just shy of the play-in tournament but did serve as a major improvement from previous seasons.

Offseason additions like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks were a huge reason for the uptick in productivity, and adding another established veteran could also aid in the development of Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson.

The 2024 NBA Draft will take place June 26-27 in Brooklyn, New York.

The Houston Rockets challenged for a play-in tournament spot for much of the 2023-24 campaign, and they reportedly plan on bringing back multiple role players for next season.

Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported Tuesday that "all signs point toward the Rockets picking up the options on veteran forwards Jae'Sean Tate and Jeff Green."

Houston ended up 41-41 and five games behind the Golden State Warriors for the final spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament. It was a notable improvement from the previous three seasons when it went 22-60, 20-62 and 17-55, respectively.

Tate appeared in 65 games for the Rockets last season and averaged 4.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.6 steals while shooting 47.2 percent from the field. It was his fourth season in the league but his lowest scoring production after averaging double-digit points per game in each of his first two campaigns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUDosyB2bMM

As for Green, he has bounced around for much of his career.

He has been in the league since 2007-08 and played for the Seattle SuperSonics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets and Denver Nuggets.

Even at 37 years old, Green played 78 games for the Rockets this past season and averaged 6.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists while shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 33.1 percent from deep.

It seems like both forwards will be back in 2024-25 as role players while the Rockets look to take the next step and make the postseason for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign.

The Houston Rockets took a positive step forward in their rebuild this past season, finishing 41-41 and 11th in the Western Conference, just missing the Play-In Tournament.

There is young talent in place and solid veterans supporting them. Now, continuing to build out the roster is key. And one name identified in that effort has reportedly been free-agent-to-be Malik Beasley.

According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, "Houston has identified floor spacing and shooting as an area of need this offseason privately and publicly and have an interest in veteran sharpshooter Beasley, league sources said."

Beasley, 27, averaged 11.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 79 games (77 starts) for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2023-24 season, shooting 44.3 percent from the field and a career-best 41.3 percent from three.

He's emerged as one of the league's more reliable options from beyond the arc, hitting on 38.5 percent of his threes during his career. That should make him a popular option for teams looking to add floor-spacing in free agency.

As Iko noted, both the Orlando Magic and Golden State Warriors also have interest in his services. Other teams in contending mode will likely inquire as well.

The Rockets, meanwhile, will have a few avenues to improve themselves this offseason.

For one, the team has the No. 3 overall pick. They could use that selection to add more young talent or package it in a trade for a veteran star. Iko noted that "talks have largely been informal, the bulk of concrete offers likely won't come in until draft night, but a handful of teams have expressed interest in acquiring the pick."

If the team does decide to sell the selection, one name to watch out for is Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell. Iko reported that the Rockets "are among those interested in the 27-year-old and have been monitoring his situation for months."

The team could also move down the draft board in an effort to add more assets overall.

The Rockets will be more limited in one they can do in free agency, however, likely only having access to the non-taxpayer midlevel exception and minimum contracts. Slotting a player like Beasley into that exception would make sense.

Teams have reached out to the Houston Rockets about acquiring the No. 3 overall pick in the NBA draft, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic:

"Talks have largely been informal, the bulk of concrete offers likely won't come in until draft night, but a handful of teams have expressed interest in acquiring the pick, team and league sources told The Athletic.

"Interested teams would either like to move up to No. 3 or ones that would like to move into the first round altogether, sources said."

Iko also added that the Rockets will listen to other teams' inquiries for the draft pick.

Houston is on the rise, improving from 22-60 in 2022-23 to 41-41 this season. A host of young and promising talent (e.g. Jalen Green, Alperen Şengün) helped the Rockets get there, as did offseason acquisitions, such as point guard Fred VanVleet.

Now Houston is in a great spot to add to that talented group with the No. 3 overall pick, but the Rockets could in theory use that choice as a trade asset for a veteran who can help them improve immediately to continue the team's rapid ascendance.

The 2024 NBA draft class doesn't look particularly strong on paper, with various reports indicating as much.

An anonymous NBA team member says that having the No. 1 pick in this year's draft is essentially like drafting Tobias Harris at No. 1, per @ryenarussillo pic.twitter.com/He2LqY4E0d

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 16, 2024

The Athletic's James L. Edwards III also reported earlier in May that "many around the NBA" believe the No. 5 pick this year is like "the equivalent to the 10th to 12th pick in a normal draft class."

But the fact of the matter is that the No. 3 pick plus assets could still net the Rockets a really good player, and Iko mentioned the possibility of Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell.

The Houston Rockets have maintained interest in All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell for months and continue to monitor his situation in Cleveland, sources tell @KellyIko.

How might that impact what happens with the No. 3 pick?https://t.co/EGD1NoEWKh pic.twitter.com/KddCpmyFfU

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 21, 2024

Mitchell has one confirmed year left on his deal. He can decline a 2025-26 player option to become a free agent. But if he's not on board with an extension from the Cavs, then it will probably behoove Cleveland to trade him and avoid losing him for nothing next offseason.

Acquiring a five-time All-Star like Mitchell, who just average 26.6 points per game, would obviously be a huge win for Houston. We'll see if that comes to fruition soon enough with the first round of the draft approaching on June 25, but for now, Houston apparently finds itself in an advantageous spot with options while holding the No. 3 overall choice.

As the Cleveland Cavaliers do their best to present Donovan Mitchell with a contract offer they hope he can't refuse this summer, the Houston Rockets are among the teams that could pursue him in a trade.

Per The Athletic's Kelly Iko, the Rockets "have been monitoring" Mitchell's situation for months and they could try to package the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA draft with other assets to put together an offer if the Cavs don't feel like they will be able to re-sign him.

Houston's interest in Mitchell comes after The Athletic's Jovan Buha reported on his YouTube show (starts at 38:40 mark) last week the five-time All-Star "would be the preferred guy" ahead of players like Trae Young or Dejounte Murray in a deal for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Mitchell's future with the Cavs has been hovering over the franchise all season, and that will only get more pronounced this offseason. He is eligible to sign a four-year, $208 million extension as of July 6.

If the Cavaliers don't get a commitment from Mitchell at that point, it would be in their best interest to explore trade opportunities. He declined to speak publicly about his contract throughout the season.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said on the May 16 episode of NBA Countdown (h/t RealGM) that Mitchell told him he's "happy in Cleveland" and has been happy there since being acquired by the club in September 2022.

In the wake of Cleveland's season-ending loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, The Athletic's Shams Charania, Joe Vardon and Jason Lloyd reported there is a "growing sentiment" around the NBA that Mitchell will sign the extension to stay with the Cavs.

Within that same report, it's noted Darius Garland's representatives "would have a conversation" with Cavs officials about potentially finding him a new team if Mitchell elects to stay.

The Rockets are a team that will likely be keeping a close eye on anyone who might be able to help their offense. They spent a lot of money last offseason to sign Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet. It helped spark them to a 41-41 record, but they missed the play-in tournament by five games.

One of the main problems for the Rockets was their offense finished in the bottom half of the league in points per game (114.3), rating (114.5) and three-point percentage (35.2).

Mitchell averaged 26.6 points on 46.2 percent shooting with a career-high 6.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game in 55 starts this season.

The 2024 NBA draft lottery unfolded on Sunday, and while the Houston Rockets didn't land the No. 1 overall pick—that selection went to the Atlanta Hawks—they have to feel good about the results.

A year after selecting Amen Thompson with the fourth overall pick, the Rockets will have a chance to add another potential star at No. 3.

2024 NBA DRAFT ORDER IS SET 🍿

Pick 1. Hawks
Pick 2. Wizards
Pick 3. Rockets
Pick 4. Spurs
Pick 5. Pistons pic.twitter.com/csi294OgBh

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 12, 2024

The No. 3 pick comes courtesy of the Brooklyn Nets, who dealt the selection as part of the 2021 deal for James Harden. Houston's own selection (No. 12) will go to the Oklahoma City Thunder as a result of the 2019 Russell Westbrook trade.

Houston finished this past season with a .500 record and just short of the play-in tournament. However, landing the right prospect at No. 3 could help put the Rockets back in the postseason for the first time since the 2019-20 season.

The question, of course, is who the Rockets will land at No. 3. There's no clear-cut top prospect like there was with Victor Wembanyama last year, so it's hard to know exactly how the early first round will unfold.

The experts, of course, have their thoughts.

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Alex Sarr a Popular Choice for No. 1

To get a feel for who Houston might select at No. 3, it's best to start with who isn't likely to be available. Right now, Perth Wildcats (Australia) center Alex Sarr is trending as a likely option for the Hawks at No. 1.

Post-lottery mock drafts from Yahoo Sports' Krystan Peek, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN, CBS Sports' Kyle Boone, The Athletic's Sam Vecenie and Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman all have Sarr going No. 1.

According to Peek, Sarr's play against other top draft hopefuls has him trending toward the No. 1 spot:

"[Sarr] commanded the attention of NBA scouts and executives in the fall during a pair of exhibition games in Las Vegas against the G League Ignite. He showcased a much improved motor and elite rim protection, and solidified himself as a potential top pick after dominating the paint against other projected lottery talent in Matas Buzelis and Ron Holland."

At 7'1" and 205 pounds, Sarr is a towering if slight prospect with a skill set that should intrigue NBA team decision-makers. However, he's only the fourth-ranked prospect on the Wasserman's draft board.

This means that while Houston may not have a realistic shot at Sarr, it could still come away with the best player in the 2024 draft.

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Donovan Clingan, Reed Sheppard Popular Picks for Houston

Only two players will be off the board when it's time for general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka to turn in their selection. They will have a plethora of options from whom to choose.

However, Connecticut center Donovan Clingan and Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard are two popular choices from experts around the web. Givony and Woo mocked Sheppard to the Rockets, as did Wasserman and USA Today's Bryan Kalbrosky

Sheppard, it's worth noting, is the No. 2 overall prospect on Wasserman's board.

"Sheppard doesn't have the typical usage, measurements or athleticism of a top pick," Wasserman wrote. "But I'm choosing to bet on elite shotmaking, intangibles, untapped on-ball juice and a history of Kentucky guards showing more in bigger NBA roles."

Peek and Vecenie both mocked Clingan to the Rockets at No. 3. Vecenie pointed to Clingan's defensive potential as a deciding factor:

"The Rockets traded for Steven Adams in the spring, but the veteran center only has one year left on his deal. That trade could be taken as a sign that Rockets coach Ime Udoka wants to find a defensive difference-maker on the interior even with Alperen Şengün in the fold."

Clingan is also a capable passer with an improving shot, so the selection would help on both ends of the court.

Boone mocked Kentucky point guard Rob Dillingham to Houston at No. 3. Other prospects who will likely garner consideration include Nikola Topić of KK Crvena Zvezda (Serbia), Matas Buzelis of G League Ignite and G League Ignite's Ron Holland, who is the top-ranked prospect on Wasserman's draft board.

Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone said the team is more likely to keep its No. 3 pick in next month's NBA draft rather than trading it away, per ClutchFans.

Stone said the team will likely favor the player available at No. 3 over possible trade options, but "it's always possible" another team will be willing to make a lofty offer for a player they want to take at No. 3.

The Rockets have a top-five pick in the NBA draft for a fourth consecutive year after Sunday's NBA draft lottery. The Atlanta Hawks have the No. 1 pick and the Washington Wizards have the No. 2 pick.

Houston should have plenty of talented options available at No. 3. While this year's group might not be as stacked as the 2023 class that included players like Victor Wembanyama and Brandon Miller, there are still a handful of potential standouts.

One of the Rockets' young stars, Jalen Green, was a product of the NBA's G League Ignite, and Houston could find another gem from Ignite in this draft.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman considers Ignite forward Ron Holland to be the top prospect in this year's class, and Holland could very well be there for the Rockets at No. 3. Holland, 18, averaged 20.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and is making a strong case to be one of the top players off the board.

In the collegiate ranks, Kentucky duo Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham could be solid draft targets for the Rockets, or they could look for a big man like UConn's Donovan Clingan. European stars like Nikola Topić, Alex Sarr, or Zaccharie Risacher also stand out as quality options for Houston at No. 3.

The Rockets will likely hone in on a few prospects at this week's NBA draft combine and begin figuring out what their best move is.

Houston is looking to land a potential star with the No. 3 pick to help turn things around after missing the postseason the last four years. The Rockets showed improvement in 2023, increasing their win total from 22 wins to 41, but there is still plenty of work to do. Picking up a standout in the draft would help with their quest to return to glory.

The Houston Rockets have secured a top-three in the 2024 NBA draft, but that doesn't mean the franchise will necessarily be intent on using that selection.

The Rockets had just a 5.23 percent chance at landing the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft lottery, but the ping-pong balls bounced favorably and Houston moved up from No. 9 to No. 3. This pick was the one acquired from the 2021 James Harden trade, and could allow Houston to select a quality option to improve its rapidly developing young core.

However, Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer floated the possibility of the team trading the pick, citing the fact that the team is already on the verge of postseason contention.

"With the Rockets ascending, however, I'd also expect the front office to be active in trade talks that could move them out of the draft entirely in exchange for a proven star," O'Connor wrote.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski also discussed the Rockets potentially trading the No. 3 pick:

"I think there will be a lot of conversations with Houston, I think that pick will be available," Wojnarowski said.

Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic further added that "some league sources expect the Rockets to make the pick available in a deal."

Houston went 41-41 this past season and narrowly missed out on the play-in tournament.

The Rockets have not reached the postseason since 2020, but more notably failed to win more than 22 games in a season from 2020-21 to 2022-23.

Those struggles ultimately allowed the team to select players like Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson in the last three drafts, and free agent signings like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks have helped fortify the team's starting lineup as the franchise looks to turn a corner.

While adding another young developmental piece could be intriguing, the prospect of trading out of the No. 3 slot and grabbing a veteran who can mesh more seamlessly with the team's existing core makes plenty of sense.

There is some time for Houston to deliberate on which direction to go in, as the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft is more than a month away. However, the Rockets will likely at least listen in on some potential packages for the selection.