Three Prospects the Rockets Could Trade Into the First Round for

Houston could look to trade into the 2026 NBA Draft.

Mar 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) on the court in the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Rockets don’t currently own their first-round pick at the 2026 NBA Draft, but are still in need of several things moving into next season. The first of which is more guard help.

Even with the improving Reed Sheppard and veteran Fred VanVleet set to make a 2026-27 return, it’s clear that Houston still needs to add more to its guard room. And the 2026 draft has one of the best guard crops seen in the last handful of years.

The Rockets currently own the No. 39 and 53 picks, but here are three prospects that could be worth trading into the first round for:

Ebuka Okorie, Stanford

Stanford’s Ebuka Okorie could seemingly be the first available option following the top-tier group of players like Darius Acuff Jr., Mikel Brown Jr., Kingston Flemings and more. He went under the radar somewhat through the regular season due to his size at about 6-foot-1, but came back with a helpful nearly 6-foot-8 wingspan at the combine.

That eased some fears about Okorie, who was one of the best pure scorers in basketball last season at 23.2 points per game. He also saw success in facilitating at 3.6 assists to just 1.9 turnovers, and managed 1.6 steals in jumping lanes and poking the ball.

Okorie would be more of a bet on a sixth-man guard that could fill it up, a la Dennis Schroder, than a player who could seamlessly plug in.

Christian Anderson, Texas Tech

Speaking of a seamless plug-in, Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson’s skills see tailor-made to play with Alperen Sengun.

Christian Anderson is also on the shorter side, but was among the best shooters and passers in all of college basketball. He averaged 18.5 points and 7.4 assists, shooting 42% from three on nearly eight attempts per game.

Anderson’s bread and butter is the pick-and-roll, and hitting shots off the dribble out of it. He could create a unique two-man game with Sengun, able to facilitate or rain triples alongside the Rockets’ other play-makers.

Bennett Stirtz, Iowa

Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz has clawed his way from Division II into the spotlight, and offers a mix of both on-ball ability and shooting. His range as a high-feel guard is up in the air, given his age at just under 23-years-old.

He managed just shy of 20 points per game, posting 4.4 assists while scoring at all three levels. He doesn’t have quite the shooting prowess of Anderson or driving that Okorie offers, but rather a mix of both.

The Rockets could certainly use a malleable player such as Stirtz, and could be ready to capitalize if he falls.