With Christian Wood now traded to Dallas, the Houston Rockets suddenly find themselves with three first-round picks as the 2022 NBA draft approaches on Thursday, June 23.
The Rockets have long held their own 2022 draft pick (No. 3 overall), as well as one from Brooklyn (No. 17) as a result of the blockbuster James Harden trade from January 2021. Now, they have a pick incoming from the Mavericks (No. 26) as part of the Wood trade.
According to reports, the Wood trade won’t be processed by the league office until after the draft. Thus, when the No. 26 pick is made, Dallas technically will be making the selection. However, unless Rockets general manager Rafael Stone moves the pick again in a subsequent trade, the Mavericks will be making their choice on behalf of Houston.
So, who are Houston’s likely options at each of those three picks? As of Thursday night, June 16, here’s where things appear to stand in the eyes of various draft experts covering the league. Many of these mock drafts were published prior to the Wood trade, but the selections at No. 26 should still be a useful guide as to the tier of prospects available.