5 teams with the most to gain from 2023 NBA Draft

Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets have signaled their readiness to move into the next part of the rebuild. The team has two picks in the first third of the draft, giving them an opportunity to accelerate their plans.

Houston was one number away in the lottery from winning the Wembanyama sweepstakes instead of its in-state counterpart. Instead, the Rockets have the No. 4 pick and No. 20 pick in the draft.

If Henderson and Miller are both off the board by the time the Rockets pick, they may not be thrilled with their selection. Houston does have the flexibility to trade up to land one of those players, but the fits could be challenging, particularly pairing Henderson with Jalen Green.

If Houston stands pat at No. 4, it can still find a prospect that should still be able to be part of the team’s future rotation. Among the candidates for the slot are the Thompson twins, Amen and Ausar, with more buzz following the former.

It’s not a bad idea to bet on upside and wait the rebuild out for one more year. There’s something there with Jabari Smith, Green, and the rest of the young core. There’s no need to rush things, even though incoming coach Ime Udoka led his Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals in his first year there.

Then again, the Rockets can use their draft picks to make a big swing on the trade market. Jaylen Brown is always a fun trade candidate to consider, though O.G. Anunoby feels like a better fit for Houston.

Houston can also keep its picks or trade down for more selections and cheaper selections, throwing more darts at the board. The Rockets have an estimated $60 million in cap space entering the offseason, tops in the league.

There are options aplenty and plenty to gain for the Rockets, who have a cushy position in the draft despite narrowly missing on Wembanyama.