Prior to the 2024 NBA draft lottery, which the Rockets entered with a projected first-round position of No. 9 overall (via Brooklyn), Houston Chronicle beat writer Jonathan Feigen wrote that the pick could potentially be moved for future draft assets.
But after surprisingly jumping up to No. 3, such a deal has become less likely for a myriad of reasons.
In a podcast appearance with Grind City Media, Feigen says:
A lot of the talk about the Rockets has been that they’re open to moving that pick. I wrote that before the lottery, too.
They were more open, and looking to move it, at [pick] nine, than they would be at three. If only because it’s hard to trade the third pick for a future 12th pick or a future 15th pick, even though this is a weaker draft.
Now if they could get two 12s, they might do that. And obviously if they could pair it with some asset they have to get a star, they’d like to use moving up [in the order] to help them. But they are definitely more interested in picking in the first round, or in the lottery, in future years… than they are this year.
In a mock-draft exercise, Feigen selected French wing Zaccharie Risacher for Houston (Alex Sarr and Stephon Castle went at No. 1 and No. 2 to the Hawks and Wizards, respectively). Many other mocks have Risacher going in the top-two picks, so his selection by the Rockets could represent a best-player available approach.
Feigen said he believes the Rockets might like Castle, a guard out of Connecticut. However, he cautioned that No. 3 could be too high, even if Castle were hypothetically on the board. Feigen also mentioned Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard as a No. 3 candidate.
