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Houston Rockets: 3 ways to best use No. 2 overall pick in 2021 NBA Draft

By Patrick Schmidt

2020 five-star basketball shooting guard Jalen Green on a visit to FSU for the BC gameImg 0526
2020 five-star basketball shooting guard Jalen Green on a visit to FSU for the BC gameImg 0526 /
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The Houston Rockets didn’t win the NBA Draft lottery so who should the team draft with the No. 2 pick or should they trade it for a star?

Despite having the worst record in the NBA, the Houston Rockets didn’t win the NBA Draft lottery and the No. 1 pick. That means the Rockets will not be in a position to draft Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham who will only work out for the Detroit Pistons, owners of the No. 1 pick.

Even though they didn’t get the No. 1 pick, the Rockets are in a good position to draft a young franchise cornerstone to a roster devoid of young talent. Or they could explore the trade market, offering the No. 2 pick in exchange for a proven commodity.

Plan A: Houston Rockets should draft Evan Mobley

With Cunningham off the board, the Rockets could take the No. 2 prospect which is believed to be USC center, Evan Mobley. At USC, Mobley averaged 16.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.9 blocks and 2.4 assists. Mobley was a big star of March Madness, helping the Trojans advance to the Elite Eight. The 7-footer is an athletic big that can match up with Deandre Ayton, Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic and James Wiseman in the Western Conference. If the Rockets keep the pick, he makes the most sense at No. 2.

Plan B: Houston Rockets should draft Jalen Suggs or Jalen Green

After trading James Harden, the Rockets have a big need for a play-making guard who can shoot as well as he can facilitate. Jalen Suggs and Jalen Green can do both. Suggs, a standout for the national runner-up Gonzaga Bulldogs averaged more than 14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists as a freshman. A former star quarterback in high school, Suggs has a body physically mature enough to log heavy minutes as a starting point guard for the Rockets.

The other Jalen may be more explosive and offer more upside as a scorer, however, as Green averaged 17.9 points per game in the G League last year. The former No. 2 overall recruit is a 6-foot-5 combo guard that can fill up the stat sheet and remind fans of what Harden used to do in a Rockets uniform.

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