The Houston Rockets were blessed by the lottery gods, landing at #2 and retaining their own first round selection.
It’s pretty clear that after Cade Cunningham, there is a solid group of three players in the next tier.
Green is the youngest of the prospects, and the Rockets might covet control over a player that will be 28 or 29 when his first extension ends.
We’ve seen that strategy work a little bit in the playoffs , but this pick would be more about developing Mobley into a long-term franchise fixture.
Whereas Green is known for his explosive scoring, Mobley’s calling card is as a rim protector that can defend multiple positions.
The only warning sign for me is that in the biggest game of his career, he was absolutely demolished by Drew Timme, a skilled but athletically inferior big man.
Anyone who reads this blog or knows me is keenly aware that I am unable to remove my extreme bias when talking about Gonzaga.
He doesn’t have Cade’s ability to take control of a game or Green’s pure scoring potential, but as a playmaker and defender, he beats the other two.
Suggs shot 50% from the floor to go with 5 boards, 4.5 assists, and 2 steals per game.
If you want to understand the full Jalen Suggs experience, look no further than his Final Four game against the UCLA Bruins.
Each of these three players could make an immediate difference, and Houston is sure to bring each one in for a workout.
Houston has two other picks in the first round as well, and can package one or both of those picks with the second pick to get a star player.
The #2 pick is a perfect trade chip because teams drafting behind Houston could covet one of the 3 players listed above.
Would Stone want two top eight picks for the extra shot at a star draftee? Does he want four first round picks? If a team is willing to trade an actual All-Star, they will likely ask for some of the Brooklyn picks.
There’s another possibility, but it’s not as fun.
When he traded Harden for draft picks, he bet on himself and his staff to nail the draft or subsequent trades.