Will the Rockets’ priorities be revealed on draft night? There has been a lot of buzz around Houston’s potential to acquire multiple stars in the offseason in a bid to contend sooner than later. James Harden is the obvious centerpiece of those rumors; if he’s coming home, does Houston really need another guard?
It gets tricky for the Rockets here, with so many quality guards available. Ausar Thompson has separated himself from the field with top-tier athleticism, playmaking, and defensive versatility. He’d be a tremendous running mate for Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr., but the Rockets start to run out of touches and opportunities if Harden joins the fold.
So, that being said, don’t be shocked if the Rockets take a gander at some of the wings or forwards in this range (Whitmore, Walker, Dick, Hendricks). If Houston is less confident in Harden’s return than some of the national buzz seems to indicate, then Thompson feels like the right pick — another playmaking engine to bolster the offense while also strengthening the perimeter defense.
At 6-foot-7, Thompson does offer a fair amount of positional flexibility regardless of who joins him on the roster next season. His elite first step makes it difficult to keep Thompson out of the paint, while his vision as a passer combined with his penchant for acrobatic finishes at the rim allows him to consistently punish the collapsing defense. He’s a very intelligent young player and a potentially generational athlete. The primary concern is shooting. If Thompson doesn’t demand attention on the perimeter, he will struggle to provide value away from the ball on offense.
Check out our full scouting report on Ausar Thompson here.