Rockets GM Talks Possibility of Trading No. 3 Pick in 2024 NBA Draft After Lottery

Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone said the team is more likely to keep its No. 3 pick in next month's NBA draft rather than trading it away, per ClutchFans.

Stone said the team will likely favor the player available at No. 3 over possible trade options, but "it's always possible" another team will be willing to make a lofty offer for a player they want to take at No. 3.

The Rockets have a top-five pick in the NBA draft for a fourth consecutive year after Sunday's NBA draft lottery. The Atlanta Hawks have the No. 1 pick and the Washington Wizards have the No. 2 pick.

Houston should have plenty of talented options available at No. 3. While this year's group might not be as stacked as the 2023 class that included players like Victor Wembanyama and Brandon Miller, there are still a handful of potential standouts.

One of the Rockets' young stars, Jalen Green, was a product of the NBA's G League Ignite, and Houston could find another gem from Ignite in this draft.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman considers Ignite forward Ron Holland to be the top prospect in this year's class, and Holland could very well be there for the Rockets at No. 3. Holland, 18, averaged 20.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and is making a strong case to be one of the top players off the board.

In the collegiate ranks, Kentucky duo Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham could be solid draft targets for the Rockets, or they could look for a big man like UConn's Donovan Clingan. European stars like Nikola Topić, Alex Sarr, or Zaccharie Risacher also stand out as quality options for Houston at No. 3.

The Rockets will likely hone in on a few prospects at this week's NBA draft combine and begin figuring out what their best move is.

Houston is looking to land a potential star with the No. 3 pick to help turn things around after missing the postseason the last four years. The Rockets showed improvement in 2023, increasing their win total from 22 wins to 41, but there is still plenty of work to do. Picking up a standout in the draft would help with their quest to return to glory.