The Houston Rockets finished this past regular season with a bit of a flurry, and they might now be looking to add another star-level player to get them to the next level. And they are armed with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft to help make it happen.
Per Kelly Iko of The Athletic, the Rockets may be willing to use that pick to acquire another star or really good veteran player, adding to a team that improved by 11 games under first-year coach Ime Udoka.
For instance, the Rockets are said to be monitoring Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell, who’s eligible for a contract extension this summer. (Full post on the Rockets’ interest.)
“Team sources said Houston will listen to offers,” Iko wrote. “For example, moving back and collecting additional assets should not be ruled out as a possibility, not this early in the process. Since 29 other teams may have 29 opinions on the top of the draft, big boards could vary.”
Along with the draft, the Rockets could try to be a player in free agency, Iko noted.
“Houston has identified floor spacing and shooting as an area of need this offseason privately and publicly and have an interest in veteran sharpshooter Malik Beasley,” Iko wrote, citing league sources. “Beasley, who is also attracting early interest from Orlando and Golden State, spent the past season in Milwaukee, starting 77 games and shooting 41.3 percent from 3-point distance.”
Obviously, Houston could just hang on to the pick, land another young player, and let him develop with the rest of the group as it attempts to make a strong push for the playoffs. In other words, the possibilities are endless for a team that is very clearly on the right path.
“Because we like our current roster so much, it provides us with more flexibility to explore creative deals of all sorts,” Rockets general manager Rafael Stone said, via Iko.
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