Tag: Houston Rockets

NBA sets times, dates, networks for live 2024 draft coverage

ABC and ESPN will broadcast round one of the NBA’s 2024 draft on June 26 at 7:00 p.m. Central, while round two takes place on June 27 at 3:00 p.m. on ESPN.

Presented by State Farm, ABC and ESPN will broadcast the first round of the 2024 NBA draft on Wednesday, June 26, at 7:00 p.m. Central. The second round airs on Thursday, June 27, at 3:00 p.m. Central, and it will be broadcast on ESPN and the ESPN mobile app.

In contrast to previous years, the NBA is splitting its first and second rounds of 2024 into separate days, much like the NFL. Round one will be held at Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets, while the second round is at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York.

As things stand, the Houston Rockets are currently slated to draft at No. 3 overall (via Brooklyn) in the first round and at No. 44 overall (via Golden State) in the second round (2024 draft order).

However, with over three weeks still to go until draft night, there’s plenty of time for the order to change as teams evaluate trade proposals made during the early stages of the 2024 offseason.

Top prospects potentially available to Houston include Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard, Connecticut center Donovan Clingan, Connecticut guard Stephon Castle, and Serbian guard Nikola Topić.

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Report: Rockets open to trading 3rd overall pick to Nets for Mikal Bridges

Per Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN, the Houston Rockets are open to trading the 3rd pick for Brooklyn Nets guard Mikal Bridges.

The Brooklyn Nets are in the midst of an offseason in which they have some important decisions to make when it comes to the future of the franchise. As Brooklyn moves through this summer, one of their better players appears to be heavily pursued by some teams that are looking to make their own playoff push.

Per Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN, the Houston Rockets are open to trading the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft to the Nets in exchange for Bridges. The reason that the Rockets have the third overall pick in the first place despite finishing with a 41-41 record is because of the trade that sent James Harden to Brooklyn during the 2020-21 season.

“Most teams expect the Rockets to heavily pursue trade opportunities, either to move down the board (with teams such as the Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies, or Chicago Bulls) or to get out altogether if a major building block — such as Mikal Bridges — becomes unexpectedly available,” Givony and Woo wrote.

As of right now, there is no indication that the Nets are willing to trade Bridges as they have rejected multiple offers for Bridges from plenty of teams, including Houston. With Brooklyn in a spot where they could go a few different ways in terms of their rebuild, time will tell if the Nets will ever get to the point of dealing Bridges for any reason.

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NBA draft history: How likely are you to land a star at No. 3 overall?

Historical data suggests that a player drafted at No. 3 overall has a 45% chance of becoming an NBA All-Star at some point, according to HoopsHype’s findings.

The 2024 NBA draft lacks sure-fire stars at the top, and many analysts consider this class potentially the weakest since 2013.

As the June 26 first round approaches, HoopsHype analyzed the historical performance of players selected with those top-30 picks to understand how frequently they attained star-level accolades.

With the Houston Rockets poised to select at No. 3 in the first round (barring a trade), here’s a look at the historical data of that spot:

  • MVP: 4.00 percent
  • Finals MVP: 2.67 percent
  • All-NBA 1st Team: 17.33 percent
  • All-NBA Team: 26.67 percent
  • All-Star: 45.33 percent
  • All-Defensive: 12.00 percent
  • Defensive Player of the Year: 1.33 percent
  • NBA champion: 21.33 percent

It’s worth noting that over a five-draft span from 2014 through 2018, the No. 3 spot featured four All-NBA players in Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers; Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics; and Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks.

Three of those four — Boston’s Brown and Tatum, and Dallas’ Doncic — will face off starting Thursday in the 2024 NBA Finals.

Given the relatively weak draft class of 2024, the odds of a comparbly elite outcome for the Rockets are remote. But, recent data suggests at least some reasons for optimism at No. 3 overall.

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Podcast: ClutchFans’ Dave Hardisty on the 2024 Rockets offseason

Dave Hardisty, founder of ClutchFans, joins Rockets podcasters Ben DuBose and Paulo Alves to preview Houston’s plans for the 2024 NBA draft and offseason.

Dave Hardisty, founder and editor of ClutchFans, joins Friday’s “The Lager Line” podcast to discuss the latest news and notes surrounding the Houston Rockets and the NBA’s 2024 offseason.

Topics for Hardisty, Ben DuBose and Paulo Alves include preferences for Houston’s No. 3 draft pick in June, the implications of top prospect Donovan Clingan sharing an agent with Alperen Sengun and trade options for general manager Rafael Stone.

Other prospects discussed are Clingan’s Connecticut teammate, Stephon Castle; Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard; and Matas Buzelis and Ron Holland of the G League Ignite. All of those players could be under consideration at Houston’s first-round pick at No. 3, as well as in scenarios in which the Rockets move down in return for trade compensation.

Friday’s episode, which is sponsored by Clutch City Lager of Karbach Brewing, can be listened to below in its entirety. Each episode is also made available via flagship radio station SportsTalk 790 and through all major podcast distributors under “The Lager Line.”

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Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon on Michael Jordan and the Bulls: ‘He gave us all the respect’

Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon on Bulls star Michael Jordan: “He gave us all the respect, and that’s what’s important to me.”

On numerous occasions, Bulls legend Michael Jordan has gone out of his way to show respect to Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets. After all, outside of Chicago, Houston was the only other NBA champion over an eight-year span from 1991 through 1998.

There has long been mutual respect between the two Hall of Famers, who were each selected in the first three picks of the 1984 NBA draft before becoming the league’s cornerstones in the 1990s.

But as fate would have it, Jordan and the Bulls never met Olajuwon and the Rockets in the NBA Finals. Jordan was retired during Houston’s first title season in 1994, and he returned late in the regular season prior to Houston’s second championship run in 1995.

That dynamic has led some casual observers to speculate Houston might not have won its titles if not for Jordan’s very unusual (and relatively brief) mid-career retirement.

But it’s not something that has come from Jordan, himself.

In a new interview with Michael Shapiro of Chron.com, Olajuwon made it clear there’s been nothing but respect from Jordan.

Among the latest comments by “The Dream” (to Shapiro):

You don’t win a championship by accident. We had the best record in the league. Some people try to say, ‘oh (Michael) Jordan was out those two years, that’s why you won.’ That really doesn’t matter to us, we don’t have to prove anything. … That’s one thing I really respect about Michael Jordan. He never say that. He has tremendous respect for our team.

Even when Chicago was winning championships, and we had a more average team … we were beating Chicago. We were good against Chicago. That is something we can always refer back to. We never played in the playoffs, but we played in the regular season.

He gave us all the respect, and that’s what’s important to me. … We were the champion. It’s not an easy task to win, and we got it done.

Shapiro’s full interview with Olajuwon can be read here. As for Jordan, it’s worth noting his son, Marcus, picked Olajuwon as the second-greatest NBA player of all-time (behind his father).

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Rumor: Rockets expected to shop No. 3 pick ahead of 2024 NBA draft

After landing the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Rockets are reportedly open to trading the selection.

After landing the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Houston Rockets are reportedly open to trading the selection to acquire a veteran player to add to their roster.

The Rockets have built through the draft in recent years, selecting players like Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore. The team also has veterans in Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks and will be looking to add to that core.

With the organization looking to take the next step in its rebuild, the front office will discuss potential trade packages with teams involving the third pick, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The No. 3 pick – one of five potential first-round picks the Rockets can trade this offseason in a package to land a star player – will be discussed in trade talks leading up to draft night, league sources told HoopsHype.

The Rockets jumped massively up the standings this season after posting a 41-41 record, which was a 19-game improvement from last year. The group, by led first-year coach Ime Udoka, had great stretches of the season and looked to be a team on the rise.

The team will likely look to continue to prioritize playing time for its veterans moving forward, making the No. 3 pick expendable. The pick is one of the Rockets’ best assets, and the front office will be tasked with seeing how valuable it can be in trade discussions.

If the Rockets cannot find a trade partner and keep the pick, they will reportedly look to draft a guard with the pick. They could target the likes of Stephon Castle, Rob Dillingham, Reed Sheppard or Nikola Topić, among others.

The 2024 NBA draft will take place June 26-27 in New York City.

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Mock trade sees Bulls flip Alex Caruso for No. 3 pick in NBA Draft

In this mock trade, the Chicago Bulls would trade Alex Caruso to the Houston Rockets for the third pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

If the Chicago Bulls want to reshape the course of their franchise, they should plan for the future this summer instead of choosing to remain competitive. Aaron Kellerstrass of Pippen Ain’t Easy proposed a mock trade that would flip Alex Caruso and the 11th pick to the Houston Rockets for the third pick and the 44th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

“Should the Bulls really be trying to move up in what is mostly seen as a weak draft?’ Kellerstrass wrote. “Probably not, but if they are enamored with a particular prospect, they may be able to use Caruso’s expiring contract to get the 3rd pick from Houston, who is dying to make some win-now moves, not add more young players. If the Bulls get the sense that Caruso is not going to sign an extension, then they should trade him, as they risk losing him for nothing, which has been a common theme in Chicago.

“This would give them a chance to grab a table-setting point guard like Nikola Topic or possibly a two-way wing like Zaccharie Risacher. Losing Caruso wouldn’t help in the short term, but if there is a risk he is going to leave anyway, this would allow the Bulls to get a future piece without giving up too much to get it. They also get an additional pick in the second round to add a project.”

Adding a top-three pick in this year’s draft would help the Bulls reload their pool of young talent.

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Could the Bulls make a deal for the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft?

Could the Chicago Bulls make a deal with the Houston Rockets for the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft?

The Chicago Bulls have the 11th pick in this year’s draft, but with the team potentially pivoting toward a rebuild, they could look for more. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the Houston Rockets are open to shopping the third pick, and Aaron Kellerstrass of Pippen Ain’t Easy suggested that the Bulls think about making a move for it.

“Caruso would be a nice fit, though it’s unlikely the Rockets would give up the third pick in exchange for one year of Caruso, fit or not,” Kellerstrass wrote. “If the Bulls were to attach their own 11th pick to the deal, Houston may have some interest. The Bulls would get a chance at a higher-tier draft prospect, though in this draft, you could argue that they have about as much chance of finding a star at 11 as they do with the 3rd pick. Chicago would have to really like someone at the top of the draft, otherwise Caruso and pick 11 are arguably more valuable.

“Chicago could also get involved in a deal that could potentially land them one of Houston’s excess young players (Tari Eason comes to mind) if Houston decides to keep their pick but still wants a veteran player.”

Adding the third pick would give the Bulls a chance to add one of the best players in this year’s draft.

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Report: Rockets’ season-ticket renewals at highest rate since 2018

Per Gretchen Sheirr, Houston’s season-ticket renewal rate is above 90%, which is trending toward its highest renewal rate since 2018. New sales are up 15%.

By finishing 41-41, the 19-win year-on-year improvement by the Houston Rockets was the most of any NBA team during the 2023-24 season.

Between new head coach Ime Udoka and a promising core of talented young players, fans certainly seemed to have noticed.

Gretchen Sheirr, president of business operations for the Rockets, tells Chandler France of the Houston Business Journal:

“(The successes) verified what we had hoped, which was if we were transparent with the fans, if we had a clear path and direction on how we were going to get back to a competitive, championship-caliber team, that the fans would support that initiative,” Sheirr told the Houston Business Journal.

Those successes are poised to continue into next season. The season ticket renewal rate is above 90% — trending toward the highest renewal rate since 2018 — and new sales are up 15%, Sheirr said. Additionally, courtside seating and Lexus Lounge memberships remain sold out for the 2024-25 season.

In 2018, the Rockets were coming off a 65-17 season, which remains by far the most successful (by win percentage) in team history.

The current Rockets aren’t back to that level yet, but there is a palpable increase in enthusiasm after emerging from the depths of three rebuilding seasons between 2020-21 and 2022-23.

Houston sold out 28 of its 41 home games at Toyota Center — its highest mark since 2019-20 — and set a franchise record for single-game ticketing revenue, according to the Houston Business Journal.

Houston won an impressive 27 of 41 home games this season.

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Report: With No. 3 pick, Rockets to remain active in trade talks until NBA draft night

Michael Scotto on the Rockets: “The No. 3 pick will be discussed in trade talks leading up to draft night, league sources told HoopsHype.”

After some great lottery luck, the Rockets own the No. 3 selection in the 2024 NBA draft. However, Houston already has a roster filled with young talent, including a pair of rotation players selected in each of the previous three first-round classes.

And after a 41-41 campaign with year-on-year growth of 19 wins (most of any NBA team), general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka want to be in the postseason mix come 2025.

So, does Houston want to add another young player that could take time to develop? Or, might that No. 3 pick be used as part of a deal to acquire a veteran that could help win more games now?

Michael Scotto, who covers the NBA for HoopsHype, writes in his latest aggregate mock draft that trade talks involving the Rockets will remain active leading up to the June 26 draft.

Scotto reports:

The Houston Rockets are transitioning to a win-now mode and looking to take the next step to become a playoff team after significant progress from their young core under coach Ime Udoka.

The No. 3 pick — one of five potential first-round picks the Rockets can trade this offseason in a package to land a star player — will be discussed in trade talks leading up to draft night, league sources told HoopsHype.

Should a deal not materialize, Scotto says the Rockets could select from several guards, including former Kentucky teammates Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham, Nikola Topic and Stephon Castle. Or, Houston could select Matas Buzelis, who can play both forward spots.

Scotto is less bullish on the potential of the Rockets drafting Connecticut center Donovan Clingan, saying “it’s hard to imagine a world where (Alperen) Sengun and Clingan play together when they occupy the same position.” Sengun is Houston’s starting center.

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