Rockets' Draft: Expect the Unexpected

There is something about drafts in professional sports that elicit the most thought-provoking sentiments from both fans and pundits alike.

If you’re a woeful team, then the emotions are running high.  Succumbing to a poor year often requires a team’s fan base to grow tiresome of their mediocre play. And then with the idealistic aspiration of a quick turnaround, debates grow loud and emotional for how to fix the team’s woes. 

With the draft, specifically in the NBA, one player can quickly change the fortunes of a franchise more than in any other sport.  Be it a Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, or Yao Ming-type athlete, a franchise lingering in embarrassment for years on end can quickly turn its fortunes around with one prospect.

Yet for all the acclaim the draft brings for team’s that are woeful and have picks to address their needs, what do you do when your franchise is fine, and there are no draft picks to be had?

The aforementioned predicament is precisely where the Rockets find themselves going into next week’s draft.

What, No Draft Picks?

With no draft picks due to their first-round pick being dealt in the deal for Ron Artest last summer and their second-round pick sent along with Steve Francis to Memphis, it’s a bit implausible to believe the impending draft can provide some sort of sweeping change to the franchise.

Nevertheless, for a franchise that claimed its first series victory in over a dozen years, and even took the champion Los Angeles Lakers to a seventh game (no other team in the playoffs accomplished such a feat) at the present time one would be inclined to perceive the Rockets to be in pretty good shape.

However, there are some noticeable deficiencies on the roster—namely no backup center or wingman who can create their shot. So maybe the Rockets may need to do something during this year’s draft.

Free agency won’t begin until after the draft, and for the Rockets and their two key free agents (Ron Artest and Von Wafer) there is no certainty that either—especially Wafer—will re-sign.

Draft Day Connoisseur

Thus, with general manager Daryl Morey having shown the willingness to be proactive, then reactive in his short tenure, that coupled with his penchant for draft-day trades (the 2007 transaction to acquire Carl Landry, and the ’08 move to obtain Joey Dorsey and Donte Green), it seems highly likely that despite no draft picks at this time, the Rockets will manage to find a way to obtain one, and make at least one selection come June 25.

It’s unlikely that the Rockets acquire a pick anywhere before 17. 

The 18th pick (Minnesota’s second of three first-round picks) is plausible, but the 19th pick currently held by the Atlanta Hawks seems to be in play as there is a report that Atlanta is actively looking to deal the pick in conjunction with Speedy Claxton’s expiring contract for cap relief. So a potential package by the Rockets consisting of Brian Cook’s expiring contract (over $3 million) and cash considerations ($2 to 3 million) makes it likely that the 19th pick is in the possession of Daryl Morey.

Who To Get

From there, there are a plethora of players available who could be in Rockets' red next season.

Where there is likely to be no centers with a mid-to-late first round grade available at 19, there is likely to be some some talented small forwards available.

Some scorers off the wing who could be the selection include Terrence Williams of Louisville, Omri Casspi from Israel, Sam Young of Pittsburgh, DeJuan Summers of Georgetown, or Derrick Brown of Xavier.

Young is touted as being the most "NBA ready", while Casspi could prove to be a solid contributor by the end of the season.

For Brown, his game has been described as being reminiscent of a former Rocket, Robert Horry, and considering the Rockets offensive enables plenty of open three-point looks, and also asks of the player to be willing to make the extra pass, Brown could be an ideal fit.

The same “ideal fit” statement could be said about Summers.  The former Hoya may prove to be the small forward of the future, assuming Tracy McGrady is either dealt during or doesn’t re-sign after this impending season.

And as for Williams, he’s the most physically gifted of the group, so a selection of him would work since he would be able to develop his game, and not be placed in a situation where he would be rushed.

But even with all of that being said, there is the likely scenario that the Rockets obtain a mid first-round draft pick, and subsequently deal it along with another (Joey Dorsey or Kyle Lowry) for a higher pick in the first round or an established veteran that would enable a better chance to win now.

Who Knows What Will Happen

The theme of Rockets’ drafts under the Morey administration is “to expect the unexpected”.  While there is the possibility that the Rockets either trade for or, due to the current economical climate of certain franchises, purchase a mid-to-late first-round pick, it is just as likely they buy a second-round pick, or do nothing at all.

Nevertheless, considering Morey’s track record, something special will transpire June 25.