With a cupboard already deep with young prospects and future draft assets, the Houston Rockets entered the 2022 offseason with a clear emphasis on quality over quantity and likely seeking consolidation moves.
That need seems to have become even more apparent after last week’s trade agreement to send Christian Wood to Dallas, which brought in the No. 26 pick of the 2022 first round as the primary asset.
That wasn’t necessarily what Rockets general manager Rafael Stone was seeking. Rather, it was presumably the best available asset for Wood, particularly within the confines of Houston wanting to preserve its significant salary cap flexibility entering the 2023 offseason.
With that in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if adding pick No. 26 is the prelude to another move — be it by combining assets to move up in the draft order, or even out of the draft altogether. It might also allow the Rockets to put their slightly higher pick at No. 17 on the trade market, which would command a greater pick return than No. 26.
Per Kelly Iko of The Athletic, that may already be happening:
There have been a slew of incoming calls about pick No. 17, sources told The Athletic, particularly from teams that don’t have first-round picks or teams with veterans they are willing to move. But all options are on the table. With the 26th pick, Houston has the flexibility to do a number of things. There are no predetermined plans with No. 26. One common notion is for teams to package multiple selections and move up, but the Rockets could also move back, move out or even trade for a help-now type of player already in the league.
I’d expect the No. 17 pick to be more of an “on-the-clock” situation. Draft night can get a bit crazy in the teens, with some players slipping and others going earlier than expected. Last season, the Rockets aggressively pursed that No. 16 pick once (Alperen) Şengün was still on the board, since they expected him to go in the lottery. The Rockets’ course of action depends on who is still available — and who is high on Houston’s board.
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The trade offers from other teams may also depend on who is still available at No. 17. Thus, regardless of Stone’s preference, it may make sense for the Rockets to stay pat until the draft begins on Thursday.
But once Houston is on the clock, there are any number of possibilities. While a trade involving No. 3 doesn’t appear likely, everything appears to be on the table when it comes to No. 17 and No. 26.
