Why Rockets Shouldn't Tank as Playoff Hopes Dwindle
The Houston Rockets are currently on the outside looking in of the Play-In Tournament, but as the season comes to a close, the team should still look at trying to win as many games as possible.
The biggest reason behind this is the fact that the Rockets owe the Oklahoma City Thunder their first-round pick for the 2024 NBA Draft, as long as the selection stays out of the top four.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
In 2021, the same scenario was on the table, but the Rockets had far less talent than they do now. As of today, the Rockets' pick has about a 17 percent chance of landing in the top four. Those aren't great odds, but they have a chance to improve if the Rockets lose more games.
The team sits just five or so games back of the Memphis Grizzlies, who currently hold the sixth-best odds at the No. 1 pick. However, the chances of that pick moving into the top four sits at just over 37 percent.
Either way, it's highly unlikely that the Rockets will keep their pick this year, which means they should try their best to win as much as possible. If that puts them in the Play-In Tournament, cool. If not, there's always next year.
"There's a debate to be had about how much a team should concern itself with the quality of the pick it's sending out," Bleacher Report writes. "It certainly feels worse to surrender a selection that lands in the top three, or even first overall, but the pick is gone either way."
The Rockets are back in action tomorrow night against the Phoenix Suns. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT.
