NBA Mock Draft: Who Do Rockets Take at No. 8?
The Houston Rockets could add another key piece to their core with a high pick in this year's draft.
That's not because they are slipping in the standings and are currently projected to finish in the lottery because they don't own their draft pick this year; the Oklahoma City Thunder will hold it unless they finish in the top four. But they have the Brooklyn Nets' pick, which is currently slated to be No. 8 overall.
With that pick, Sports Illustrated projects that the Rockets will take Kentucky point guard Reed Sheppard.
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"His shooting ability alone makes him a coveted basketball prospect, but he’s got plenty of connective attributes capable of making winning impact, too. He averages 4.4 rebounds — a fine number for an undersized guard — and 4.3 assists per game, a strong number off the bench, and something that could allude to a possibly larger role in the NBA down the line," Draft Digest writes.
Sheppard is averaging 12.2 points per game in his freshman season, and he'll help Kentucky compete for a deep postseason run.
The Rockets have a crowded guard rotation, so Sheppard's fit with the Rockets would be a question mark. Any rookie this team brings in will have to be a project as minutes will be far from a guarantee. After drafting Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore last season, adding another guard to the developmental mix could be a poor fit for anyone, even someone as talented as Sheppard.
The NBA Draft is set for June 25-26.
