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Houston Rockets: Ranking the last 10 first round picks

By Corey Rausch

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 30: Clint Capela #15 of the Houston Rockets dunks against the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 30: Clint Capela #15 of the Houston Rockets dunks against the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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Houston Rockets (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)
Houston Rockets (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images) /

2. Jeremy Lamb

From the most famous trade in recent memory, Jeremy Lamb is another player who never played a game for the Rockets and also the third Rockets pick in the 2012 NBA draft. After the run to the 2011 NCAA title Lamb would return for a disappointing sophomore season before jumping to the NBA. Just days before his rookie season was set to start he was traded with Kevin Martin, two future first-round picks and a second-round pick for James Harden, Cole Aldrich, Lazar Hayward and Daequan Cook.

Obviously this trade worked out extremely well for the Rockets, thought of as one of the most uneven trades in modern NBA history. Lamb struggled to find a consistent role with the Thunder and would not have made it this high on the list for his time there. It took a couple of years with the Charlotte Hornets, reuniting with his college teammate Kemba Walker for Lamb to begin realizing his potential.

Related Story. Rockets: Schedule ahead will assess small-ball. light

His third season in Charlotte (when he was still only 25) saw him average 12.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Lamb’s final season in Charlotte was even better, averaging 15.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals. He was further developing this season in Indiana alongside Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner and Victor Oladipo before unfortunately tearing his ACL.

Ultimately his upside, his development in Charlotte and Indiana and the return of James Harden to the Rockets makes Lamb one of the better draft picks in recent history for the Rockets. It remains to be seen if he will continue that development when he is able to return to the lineup sometime next season.

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