As of Monday, it remains unclear who will be selected by the Rockets with the No. 3 overall selection in Thursday’s 2022 NBA draft. In large part, the options available to Houston general manager Rafael Stone will depend on choices made by the Magic at No. 1 and Thunder at No. 2.
What we do know, however, is that it won’t take long after the draft until the prospect chosen at No. 3 (by Houston, barring a trade) faces off with the player picked ahead of him by Orlando (again, barring a trade).
That’s because the Rockets and Magic will play each other in the July 7 opening game at the NBA’s 2022 Las Vegas Summer League. Assuming health, both top rookies are expected to take part. It’s a schedule that should remind NBA fans of 2021, when the Rockets and No. 2 pick Jalen Green were matched up with Cleveland and No. 3 pick Evan Mobley in the opener. To put it mildly, it was and is good for TV ratings.
As for the 2022 equivalent, the most likely outcome for those two picks appears to be Auburn’s Jabari Smith leading the summer Magic and Duke’s Paolo Banchero featured on the summer Rockets. Complete rosters will be announced for all teams shortly after the June 23 draft.
In Houston’s second summer league game, the Rockets will face off with the Thunder — who happen to hold the 2022 draft’s No. 2 pick. Within two games, fans will likely get to see how Houston’s newly selected player holds up against the only two players picked in front of him.
Here’s a look at the initial four-game summer schedule for the Rockets, including opponents, game times, and television information. There will be a closing fifth game, with details available at a later date.
