Tag: Houston Rockets

Donovan Clingan believes in potential fit with Rockets, Alperen Sengun

Donovan Clingan on a potential pairing in Houston with Alperen Sengun: “If he’s working inside, I’ll be able to step out and shoot the 3 and be able to space the floor.”

After Houston’s unexpected lottery jump to the No. 3 selection in the 2024 NBA draft, Connecticut center Donovan Clingan is among the more popular mock-draft projections at that slot.

There is, however, a tricky issue. Clingan plays almost exclusively at center, as does current Rockets center Alperen Sengun, who has become an emerging star entering his fourth season.

So, would it be worth it to draft Clingan, if there’s no clear path (as the roster is constructed) to a starting role? Or, perhaps by one or both developing a 3-point shot, is there a way the Rockets could eventually play both Clingan and Sengun together?

These are questions that general manager Rafael Stone and Houston’s front office will need to ponder in the weeks leading to the June 26 first round. At this week’s draft combine in Chicago, Clingan expressed confidence the pairing could work.

Via Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle:

If he’s working inside, I’ll be able to step out and shoot the 3 and be able to space the floor. I could be very impactful at the defensive end, having team defense, ball-screen defense. I can see myself with (Sengun) for sure.

According to Feigen, Clingan fared well in shooting drills at the combine. However, game situations are obviously a greater challenge.

Beyond Clingan, Houston’s other popular mock-draft projections at No. 3 include Kentucky guards Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham, and French forward Zaccharie Risacher.

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How Rockets representative Sam Strantz brought good-luck charm to 2024 NBA draft lottery

As Houston’s good-luck charm at the NBA draft lottery, Sam Strantz brought the beanie that his son wore in the hospital when he was recently born.

In recent non-playoff years, it has generally been Clay Allen — general counsel for the Rockets — who represents Houston at the NBA draft lottery. In that capacity, he is one of the select few people who is physically in the room where the lottery drawings take place.

In 2024, however, Allen had a conflict and wasn’t able to attend. In his place, the Rockets sent Sam Strantz, the team’s associate legal counsel.

Despite having only a 20% chance at securing one of the four lottery picks, the Rockets defied the odds and landed the No. 3 first-round selection (via Brooklyn). It’s the fourth consecutive year Houston has won a lottery pick — the first three with Allen and one with Strantz at much worse odds.

The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov was one of a handful of media members in the room. Of Strantz and the Rockets, he reports:

Sam Strantz, the Rockets’ associate legal counsel, was Houston’s representative inside the lottery room, and he brought some good luck with him. He brought the beanie that his son, Sawyer, wore in the hospital when he was born two months ago.

Before entering, in-room representatives are required to turn over all electronic devices so they cannot communicate the lottery results until they are announced on stage (and broadcast on live television) later in the day. Thus, many bring non-digital artifacts.

In 2025, the Rockets own the fully unprotected right to swap first-round picks with the Nets (32-50), which could give them a chance to go five-for-five in draft-lottery wins this decade.

Whether it’s Allen or Strantz, Houston seems to have luck on its side.

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To keep or to trade? After landing No. 3 draft pick, Rafael Stone excited by Houston’s options

“The possibility of adding another young talented player in the draft or through a trade, we’re excited about that possibility,” Rafael Stone says.

Known for his strategic thinking, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone found himself in an unfamiliar position on Sunday after the NBA’s 2024 draft lottery. The annual event determines where teams pick in the first round, which takes place this year on June 26.

For the past three years, Stones selected players out of necessity in Houston’s rebuilding phase, which was brought on after James Harden’s departure. So, when the Rockets surprisingly secured the No. 3 pick in 2024, Stone was left with a strategic choice: keep the pick or trade it in a package for a veteran player or future assets. The decision could significantly shape the team’s future.

With Houston’s existing young core of rotation players, it might seem unlikely it would add another young player who would compete for minutes. However, that is not necessarily the case.

“The possibility of adding another young talented player in the draft or through a trade, we’re excited about that possibility,” Stone said in a post-lottery press conference. He had just arrived at the draft combine in Chicago after scouting prospects in France in recent days.

That seemed an unlikely scenario after the emergence of Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore, who played key roles as rookies in helping the Rockets go 41-41 last season. Add in the developmental leaps made by shooting guard Jalen Green and center Alperen Sengun in their third seasons — and promise shown by second-year forward Jabari Smith Jr. — and Houston has the blueprint to be a special team.  

“The guys we have in the locker room today, we’re excited to bring back,” Stone said at his end-of-season press conference last month. “We’ll look at things, but, again, I don’t view our roster as, ‘We’re missing X; we need to go find it.’ It’s not like we have a gaping hole.”

Many college and NBA analysts believe this draft class is weaker than in most years. The consensus is that many top-10 players in this class are outstanding role players, rather than superstars. If Houston keeps the pick, it could help them in the future by allowing their selection to develop with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ G League affiliate. 

“I think last year’s draft was a different draft than we’ve seen in a while, just because there was so much attention focused on just one guy (Victor Wembanyama),” Stone said. “That wasn’t the case in the two drafts before it, and I don’t think it’ll be the case this year.”

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Ime Udoka on Houston’s roster needs: Shooting, defensive versatility, shot creation

In an interview with Kelly Iko of The Athletic, Ime Udoka identified shooting, defensive versatility, and shot creation as roster needs in Houston.

The young and improving Houston Rockets (41-41) have a promising nine-man rotation for the 2024-25 NBA season. Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun will likely again start. Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore, Tari Eason and Steven Adams should feature off the bench.

Even so, it’s far from a perfect roster. Some of the gaps could be filled through internal improvement, but further roster upgrades, including with the recently acquired No. 3 pick in the 2024 first round, could also help the situation.

Ime Udoka, head coach of the Rockets, spoke Sunday to Kelly Iko of The Athletic from the NBA draft combine in Chicago.

When asked about areas of needed improvement, Udoka said:

We’re trying to have internal growth with our guys we have, first and foremost. But shooting is always at a premium, so you look at that. Versatility across the board with how we defend and want to play. And well-rounded players, we want shot creation as well. Trying to cover all the bases and with that third pick, you can do that with a lot of these players.

Among plausible draft candidates at No. 3, shooting and shot creation could point to guards such as Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham. Meanwhile, defensive versatility could perhaps point to an established big man, such as Connecticut’s Donovan Clingan.

The first round will take place Wednesday, June 26.

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Report: Don’t be shocked if Rockets keep, rather than trade, No. 3 pick

“The key to sustained contention is getting more bang-for-the-buck from as many non-star roster spots as possible,” ESPN’s Zach Lowe writes.

With six talented young prospects already in place and the Houston Rockets (41-41) showing NBA-leading improvement last season, many around the league have speculated their 2024 first-round draft pick from Brooklyn could be trade bait for a veteran player that could help win more games in the short-term.

But with Sunday’s 2024 draft lottery placing that pick at No. 3 in the order — six slots higher than expected — could the calculus change?

ESPN’s Zach Lowe, who was in the lottery drawing room on Sunday afternoon in Chicago, writes of the Rockets:

The Rockets already have six intriguing young players in Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, Tari Eason and Cam Whitmore. Paying all of them will be hard. Finding minutes for all of them was already hard. They signed Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks last summer, and won 41 games.

None of this means Houston *has* to trade the found money of the No. 3 pick. It’s a relatively affordable salary slot, and the key to sustained contention is getting more bang-for-the-buck from as many non-star roster spots as possible. The return on that pick alone may not be sufficient for the Rockets to move it. That could change if they attach one of their young players, but it would have to be worth their while.

Houston indeed wants to win more next season. Sources expect it to investigate the market for that No. 3 pick alone and in combination with other assets. But don’t be shocked if it keeps it, either.

Green and Sengun are eligible for contract extensions this offseason, while Smith and Eason will be in 2025.

With a much more expensive team on the horizon, there’s a case to be made that a relatively inexpensive rookie-scale contract could make sense for general manager Rafael Stone and the Rockets.

Per David Weiner, an NBA salary cap guru who follows the Rockets, the No. 3 pick in 2024 will have a starting salary of $10.3 million in 2024-25 before gradually increasing in the coming years.

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Nets’ pick gives Rockets 3rd overall selection in 2024 NBA Draft

At the conclusion of the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday, the Brooklyn Nets’ pick that goes to the Houston Rockets will be third overall.

The Brooklyn Nets were part of the group of 10 teams that did not participate in the play-in tournament and were one of 14 teams that did not make the playoffs. Since the 2023-24 season was not a good one for Brooklyn, they would typically be “rewarded” with a lottery pick, but that did not happen.

The 2024 NBA Draft Lottery was held on Sunday and while it was already known that the Nets did not have a draft pick for the upcoming draft in June, how the Lottery unfolded was unfortunate. Before the Atlanta Hawks were awarded with the first overall pick in the Draft, it was determined that the Houston Rockets would get the third overall pick via Brooklyn.

What makes this development disappointing is that the Nets, per multiple reports, had plenty of chances to get their picks back from the Rockets by either trading guard Mikal Bridges or trading the Phoenix Suns picks that they hold to Houston, but Brooklyn declined those offers.

Ultimately, given that the Rockets and the Nets missed the playoffs this season, both teams could stand to get better in multiple ways. However, Houston will be the beneficiary of the losing that Brooklyn had to go through this season and could use that pick to get more young talent or bring in the star they want so that they can begin competing as soon as next season.

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2024 NBA draft lottery: OKC Thunder land No. 12 pick via Rockets

2024 NBA draft lottery: OKC Thunder lands No. 12 pick via Rockets.

The rich grew richer on Sunday: The first-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder gained a free lottery pick via the 2024 NBA draft lottery.

The top-four protection on the Houston Rockets pick did not come into play. The pick remained at the No. 12 spot, which means it conveyed to the Thunder. This was the most likely outcome: The pick had an 86% chance of being sent to OKC.

The Thunder received the 2024 top-four protected first-round pick from their 2019 trade that sent Russell Westbrook to the Rockets in exchange for Chris Paul and a package of draft picks.

The Thunder will get a chance to add cheap and young talent to their core. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren round out one of the best trios in the league.

The Thunder are in the middle of their second-round series against the Dallas Mavericks. They are down 2-1 in the series following a Game 3 loss. OKC became the youngest top seed in league history this season.

The Thunder have a deep bench filled with players still on their rookie deals. Adding another one of those will fortify their depth. OKC can add a quality role player in this draft who can likely contribute right away.

The full lottery results can be read below:

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2024 NBA Draft Lottery: How to watch, lottery odds, broadcast info

2024 NBA Draft Lottery: How to watch, lottery odds, broadcast info.

The 2024 NBA draft lottery will take place on Sunday, May 12. It will be televised on ABC at 2 p.m. CT. The Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards enter the lottery tied for the best odds (14%) to end up with the No. 1 pick.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are no longer in the lottery after three straight years participating in it amid their rebuild. As the Western Conference’s first seed, OKC still has an interest in how it plays out.

The Thunder own two protected first-round picks. They own the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick and the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick.

The Jazz will keep their pick. It only has a 0.4% chance of landing outside of the first 10 selections.

The Rockets, on the other hand, will likely gift the Thunder a free lottery pick. They have an 86.1% chance of staying at the No. 12 spot.

If the Thunder land an extra lottery pick, that’ll be an embarrassment of riches for them. They have one of the best young cores in the league and another lottery talent will add depth to their roster.

The full lottery odds can be viewed below:

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Did the Nets make a mistake by not trading for their picks back?

Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, the Brooklyn Nets declined to get their picks from the Houston Rockets. Was that a mistake?

While the Brooklyn Nets are coming off a disappointing 2023-24 season in which they went from potential playoff participants to missing the playoffs completely. One of the main themes from this season for Brooklyn was the fact that they had plenty of opportunities of change their team for the future, but decided to stand pat.

Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle recently reported that the Nets declined the offer from the Houston Rockets to essentially swap draft picks during this season’s trade deadline. As Feigen wrote, the Rockets offered to trade Brooklyn’s picks (2024, 2026, and pick swaps in 2025 and 2027) in exchanged for the Phoenix Suns’ picks (2025, 2027, and 2029).

With this report, it seems that the Nets value Phoenix’s picks more than getting their own picks back given where the Suns are right now. In addition to this situation, Houston also offered to give Brooklyn most of their own picks back, per multiple reports, in exchange for Mikal Bridges, an offer the Nets also declined.

More to the point, the Rockets wanted Bridges enough that they were willing to include guard Jalen Green, per reports on the situation at the time. To be clear, it wasn’t reported how Houston including Green in the trade negotiations would affect how many of Brooklyn’s draft picks they would be giving up, but that shows how interested the Rockets were to get a deal done.

The Nets’ decision to decline all known offers for Bridges has been criticized by some as overvaluing while also not taking the chance to have get back to recoup their future. However, some can also argue that the Suns’ draft picks could prove to be more valuable either as draft capital or in a potential trade for a star than Brooklyn getting their own picks back.

At the moment, the Nets do not have their picks so selling off their better players would not benefit them much in the short-term. However, Brooklyn will start getting draft picks as soon as 2025 and the Nets change their mind down the line to get back their assets if their picks were to change hands.

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Report: Nets rejected offer of draft picks swap from the Rockets

Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, the Brooklyn Nets rejected a swap of draft capital from the Houston Rockets at the deadline.

The Brooklyn Nets are coming off a disappointing 2023-24 season in which it seems that everything that could go wrong did indeed go against them in their pursuit of the playoffs. Not only did they have to make tough decisions on the court, but they also had to make tough decisions regarding their future.

In a recent article by Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Lewis wrote (based on a report from Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle) that the Houston Rockets tried two different approaches in trade negotiations with the Nets. When Brooklyn declined to trade Mikal Bridges to get back at least most of their draft picks from the Rockets, per multiple reports at the time, it seems that Houston pivoted to swapping draft equity.

Per Feigen, Houston wanted to trade the Nets’ first-round picks acquired in the James Harden trade (2024, 2026, and pick swaps in 2025 and 2027) for the Phoenix Suns picks that Brooklyn currently has (2025, 2027, and 2029). As Feigen noted, Brooklyn declined this trade which should most likely end up as the right decision given that the Suns’ future appears to be on shaky ground at best at this time.

As was reported back in February as the trade deadline was approaching, the Nets viewed Bridges as unavailable for trade due to how the organization felt about him as a player and person. While some fans preferred for Brooklyn to trade Bridges to get their own picks back, Bridges could prove to be a good combination with whatever happens with Phoenix’s picks, starting with 2025.

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