It was only eight months ago when the Houston Rockets were in complete turmoil as an organization entering the 2020-2021 NBA season.
The team’s two former MVPs, James Harden and Russell Westbrook, had each requested trades from the franchise. Soon enough, the two stars were dealt just 41 days apart from each other in December and January. Harden had landed on his desired contender, the Brooklyn Nets, and Westbrook headed to the Washington Wizards.
For new first-year head coach Stephen Silas, what felt like an immediate contender in Houston quickly turned into a bottom-five team going into the early stages of a rebuild. Now, the Rockets are just six days away from selecting a potential superstar with the No. 2 overall selection in the 2021 NBA draft.
“It’s exciting. There was a possibility that we wouldn’t even have a lottery pick. So once we got past five it was gravy. It was super exciting. It’s good for the organization, good for the fans,” said coach Silas on landing the pick.
Assuming that Cade Cunningham is taken by the Detroit Pistons with the No. 1 overall pick, the Rockets will likely be deciding between Evan Mobley and Jalen Green. However, if the Pistons do decide to pass on Cunningham, the decision in Houston becomes much easier with Cunningham still on the board.
Right now, the Rockets need to determine which position they want to build around for the future while also considering the structure of their current roster.
Houston already has an uber-athletic scoring guard in Kevin Porter Jr. who scored a career-high 50 points towards the end of the regular season for the Rockets. They also already have Christian Wood, a versatile and mobile big man who’s progressed in spacing the floor in the modern NBA game.
So, do the Rockets go with another scoring guard that could thrive in an off-ball setting like Jalen Green, or do they take another mobile rim protector in Evan Mobley? Given the circumstances, the decision may just come down to preference and what those in Houston’s front office value the most in the prospects.
Jalen Green would not only give the Rockets another scorer–something they’ve grown accustomed to–but he also has the upside to become an elite defender. His long arms, quick reflexes, and attention to detail make him an active and engaged defender which should only help him at the NBA level. Unless the Rockets plan to move on from Porter Jr., it would be intriguing to see how Green fits in Houston; especially with Eric Gordon still under contract.
Regardless, the Rockets would immediately become one of the more exciting teams to watch due to Green’s superstar potential and high-flying abilities.
Alternatively, selecting Mobley could provide the Rockets with a versatile frontcourt duo that’ll not only lock down the paint but will be able to guard the perimeter against forwards and guards. Coming off his lone collegiate season where he averaged 2.9 blocks per game, Mobley has natural rim-protection abilities to go along with good lateral quickness that keeps him in front of his man.
Offensively, the duo of Wood and Mobley isn’t a bad look either. They each have smooth jumpers with the touch to hit threes and pose as immediate lob threats in pick-and-roll sets. Having multiple big men that run the floor while also maintaining the spacing; is almost a dream scenario for any backcourt in the NBA.
Stemming past just Green and Mobley, there are a plethora of other options on the table for the Rockets, including the idea of trading up for Cunningham; or trading back for another prospect. Come draft night on July 29, fans in Houston should feel optimistic about the team’s decision-making with this being their first step towards a new future.
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