2 players Rockets must avoid in 2024 NBA Draft

06/23/2024 03:36 PM

The Houston Rockets are a team on the rise, and Ime Udoka's squad will be looking to take a leap next season. The Rockets’ future will depend heavily on what the front office does later this month when they pick third in the 2024 NBA Draft.

The next step in Houston’s progression is making it into the postseason. Once they reach the playoffs, the team’s young players will begin gaining experience under the bright lights of the playoffs and the team can gauge how it stacks up against the best the league has to offer.

The Rockets have done an admirable job of using their picks to build through the draft and they have two players with cornerstone potential in Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green. Houston also has other valuable contributors such as Jabari Smith Jr. and Cam Whitmore.

Alex Sarr

The Rockets should pass on drafting Alex Sarr if he is still available when they are on the clock, but this decision doesn’t reflect negatively on Sarr as a player at all.

He is already elite defensively and will be a difference-maker on that end from the first day he steps on an NBA court. He also has tantalizing offensive potential and could become a great two-way player.

Sarr needs to improve his shooting and become more consistent at making shots from beyond the arc, which is likely his swing skill. If he can become a three-level-scorer and competent creator for others, while also being a versatile and dominant defender, Sarr has the makings of a perennial All-Star and potential all-NBA talent.

The problem for the Rockets as it relates to Sarr is that they already have a big man as one of the cornerstones of their young team. Alperen Sengun emerged as a leader and impact player for Houston during the 2023-2024 season. He recorded north of 20 points per game and almost averaged a double-double with 9.3 boards per game.

Sengun is just 21 years old, which means he can be projected to continue developing as a player and has plenty of time to reach his full potential. Due to his young age, he also figures to be an impact contributor in Houston for the next decade or even longer.

In some ways, Sengun represents an optimistic outcome for Sarr's ceiling.

Sengun still needs to improve his shooting, which is serviceable for a big man at approximately 30% but could be improved to push the young star to the next level. However, shooting is also one of Sarr's biggest question marks which means he can’t differentiate himself through that skill at this time.

The incoming rookie is also two years younger, but he’s entirely unproven at the NBA level versus Sengun, who put up a respectable stat line at just 21 years old.

Donovan Clingan

Donovan Clingan represents an interesting case for the Rockets in that he’s similar to Sarr in many ways but he also has key differences. Like Sarr, the Rockets should pass on Clingan but that doesn’t reflect poorly on him at all as a player.

The former Husky has a higher floor than Sarr, but he also has a lower ceiling. That’s because, if Sarr is a very good defender at this stage in his development, Clingan is elite.

The Bristol, Connecticut native will likely be on the short list of the best shot blockers in the NBA from the moment he steps onto the court, and he should settle in among the top 10 or 15 defenders in the league by the end of his rookie year. Clingan is also a more polished prospect in the paint, but he doesn’t have the same upside as a shooter or perimeter player that Sarr does.

Although Sengun could play the four and Clingan could play the five, the two don’t pair well together unless one of them develops an above-average outside shot. Clingan likely won’t be that player. While Sengun has the potential, the Rockets would be better off drafting a wing with upside such as Ron Holland who would be a better fit for the team’s current roster. They should also consider trading the pick entirely, potentially for a wing such as Mikal Bridges of the Brooklyn Nets.

What the Rockets should consider doing

With that segue, it's time to talk about the possibility that the Rockets won’t even end up making this draft pick. There are several reasons that it makes sense for Houston to trade the pick for an established player rather than use it to select a rookie.

First, the Rockets might not see any player that is an obvious fit for them with the third overall pick. 2024 projects to be a historically weak draft class, which is an unfortunate stroke of bad luck for the team, as it has become harder than ever to land a top pick in the draft. Not only does a team need to have a painful season, but they then have to rely on the lottery balls landing in their favor.

Another reason that Houston could trade this pick is the possible availability of Bridges. If the Brooklyn Nets make their star wing legitimately available on the trade market, they’ll no doubt be looking for a Godfather return. A package from Houston headlined by the third overall pick in the draft would likely be among the best offers that Brooklyn’s front office would receive.

Bridges would fit perfectly on the Rockets, and both teams would be wise to consider such a deal.

The post 2 players Rockets must avoid in 2024 NBA Draft appeared first on ClutchPoints.