Rockets NBA Draft Rumors: Sights Set at No. 4, Potential Trade at No. 20?
The Houston Rockets fell well short of their expectations in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes, but the team still has a ton to be excited about with the No. 4 overall selection in the 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday.
Some early intel from Bleacher Report's NBA insider Jonathan Wasserman says that the Rockets are leaning in the expected direction of choosing either Overtime Elite's Amen Thompson or Villanova's Cam Whitmore at No. 4, which would bring another dynamic guard to an already young and talented backcourt.
"For the Houston Rockets' pick at No. 4, two names continue to come up: Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore," Wasserman wrote. "Sources close to the situation say Thompson is most likely their best-player-available choice. ... Whitmore, more than a year younger than the Thompsons, has closed the gap on the No. 4 spot during the pre-draft process."
To add to this excitement, the Rockets have an additional first-round pick at No. 20 that originally belonged to the Los Angeles Clippers. None of the other teams picking in the top five have the luxury of another selection in the first 20 picks, barring a trade of course.
However, Wasserman revealed that those around the league don't see Houston keeping the pick. It's possible the Rockets feel they can find value elsewhere rather than turning in the card for the 20th overall pick, potentially setting up a trade on draft night that could send a proven player and/or future picks to Houston if the front office can find what it's looking for.
"Teams and agents do not expect the Houston Rockets to keep the No. 20 pick," Wasserman wrote. "This would be a spot on the board where Houston would simply look for a future protected first-rounder in return."
This is just one of many rumors that will surface in the handful of hours leading up to the draft on Thursday. It's easy to see Rockets general manager Rafael Stone picking up the phone for both taking and making calls. But as with every draft, most rumored trades aren't made.
Even though they'll miss out on Wembanyama, safe to say there's still tons of intrigue surrounding the Rockets on draft night.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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