Rockets Rumors: Scoot Henderson Pre-Draft Visit Eyed But 'No Success' So Far

The Houston Rockets have attempted to schedule a pre-draft visit with NBA G League Ignite star Scoot Henderson "to no success," according to Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer.

Henderson is widely considered one of the top three players in the 2023 draft class, while the Rockets landed at No. 4 in the lottery.

It's not hard to see the problem for Houston since getting into position to land the dynamic guard almost certainly means negotiating a trade with the Charlotte Hornets or Portland Trail Blazers.

The Rockets have a number of draft picks and pick swaps at their disposal, but draft compensation alone might not be enough to entice Charlotte or Portland. The Hornets or Blazers would be looking to turn their first-rounder into ready-made talent, which isn't something Houston can necessarily provide.

As much promise as Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Şengün have, none of the three figures to be a good fit on a franchise looking to win now.

There's also Houston's long-rumored potential reunion with James Harden. Tyrese Maxey continued to make positive strides forward while sharing a backcourt with Harden, but his presence may not be all that beneficial for a young star in Henderson's shoes.

Maybe the Rockets luck out and the 19-year-old falls past the Blazers on draft night. Absent that, it's hard to see how he winds up with them. So you can't blame him for not bothering to make an official visit yet.