Final Rockets Mock Draft: Houston Gets Aggressive With Trade
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HOUSTON — Chet Holmgren or Paolo Banchero? Will the Houston Rockets keep all three of their selections? How much willing and dealing will general manager Rafael Stone do during the draft?
The 2022 NBA Draft is finally here. The questions that have followed the Rockets since the conclusion of the 2021-22 season will come to an end Thursday night, inside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The Rockets have two first-round picks at No. 3 and 17. The trade that sent Christian Wood to the Dallas Mavericks on June 15 has not been made official. But the Mavericks will draft a prospect on the Rockets' behalf at No. 26.
The final mock draft, completed by Fanspo.com, featured Houston landing the top prospect on their draft board at three and acquiring a second-round pick (No. 47) from the Memphis Grizzlies after trading their 17th selection. The Rockets also acquired pick No. 22 in the deal with the Grizzlies.
Paolo Banchero, Duke, No. 3:
As expected, the Rockets landed the latter of the big three between Banchero, Holmgren and Jabari Smith Jr. The Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder selected Smith and Holmgren at one and two, allowing the Rockets to select Banchero with their top overall selection.
Banchero's combination of size, strength, and skills has many believing that the Rockets are getting the best player in the draft when compared to his contemporaries. Despite his limitations on the defensive end, Banchero's offensive attributes will give Houston a chance to draft another prospect who can develop into a tear-one scorer following the selection of Jalen Green in 2021.
Banchero's most underrated skill set is his ability to see the floor and facilitate the ball for his teammates. His playmaking created scoring opportunities for his frontcourt mate Mark Williams.
Williams' scoring average increased by four points doing his lone season playing next to Banchero. He averaged a career-best 11.2 points while shooting 72.1 percent from the floor due to Banchero's drop-off passes that led to easy attempts around the basket. Williams averaged 7.1 points on 66.4 percent shooting from the field before Banchero's Duke arrival.
Tari Eason, LSU, No. 22 via Memphis Grizzlies
The Rockets originally had the No. 17 pick. By trading down with the Grizzlies, the Rockets still had a chance to land another high-profile prospect at No. 22. But Houston acquired another selection that allowed the franchise to address a minor need in the second round.
LSU's Tari Eason would be a steal for Houston in the latter part of the first round. Eason possesses all of the defensive attributes a team looks for when scouting prospects entering the draft.
He can guard positions one through five on the defensive end. And given his 7-foot-2 wingspan, Eason can create havoc in the passing lanes. Once in the open court, Eason's athleticism gives him an advantage on his way to an uncontested dunk attempt.
He would be a great choice for the Rockets, especially considering the potential departure of Kenyon Martin Jr. following his trade request on Monday. Eason finished his sophomore campaign averaging 16.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks across 33 games.
MarJon Beauchamp, G League Ignite, No. 26
With the selection of MarJon Beauchamp at No. 26, the Rockets took another prospect who can fill their needs as a wing. Eason can play the three-position but could spend most of his time playing as a backup stretch-four behind Banchero.
The selection of Beauchamp will give the Rockets a steadfast wing that could instantly enhance their defensive struggles. At 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot wingspan, Beauchamp can develop into Houston's top perimeter defender. His long arms would make it a nightmare for opposing players to get a shot off over the top.
Until he develops into a reliable 3-point shooter, Beauchamp's best offensive attribute will be his athleticism to match the rapid tempo of coach Stephen Silas' philosophy.
Beauchamp averaged 15.1 points on 57.1 percent shooting from the field, 7.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.6 steals in 12 games played for the Ignite during the 2022 campaign.
Quenton Jackson, G League Texas A&M, No. 47
The Rockets addressed their frontcourt heavily in this draft. But by acquiring an additional pick in a trade with the Grizzlies, Houston added to their point guard corps with the draft selection of Quenton Jackson.
With their lone second-round pick in Jackson, the Rockets would acquire a solid combo guard who can fill Houston's backcourt needs if Daishen Nix falls short of expectations as the backup to Kevin Porter Jr.
Jackson can do a little bit of everything on the court and caught the attention of NBA scouts during his senior season at Texas A&M, where he averaged 14.8 points on 49.0 percent shooting from the floor, 3.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals.
You can follow Coty Davis on Twitter @CotyDavis_24
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