The NBA Draft is always a weird experience. Rumors fly, trades abound and teams make odd and interesting choices. This year was no different beyond the first pick in the draft which of course was Victor Wembenyama, the freakish big man drafted by San Antonio.
The second and third picks also seemed to fall according to plan with Brandon Miller (Charlotte) and Scoot Henderson (Portland) going two and three respectively.
Then it fell to the Rockets who appeared to have focused in on hyper-athletic guard Amen Thompson from Overtime Elite and they ultimately took him at number four. His twin brother, Ausur, went right after him at number five.
But the big surprise came at pick 20, a selection many speculated the Rockets would attempt to move during the draft, either in a package to get higher or simply to move out of the first round for future considerations. In the end, they stayed put and got the biggest shocker of the night in Villanova wing Cam Whitmore.
Most projections had Whitmore going as high as number four to the Rockets, but a bevy of rumors surrounding his medical files caused him to slide all the way to 20 where GM Rafael Stone happily snatched him up. After the draft, reports were that the Rockets saw no red flags in Whitmore’s medicals and were shocked he fell that far. Whitmore himself claimed he felt fine and had no idea where the rumors came from.
If that is the case, the Rockets may have had one of the best draft nights in memory, which says a lot considering their recent drafts. They add two young, dynamic players to a rotation of…well, young dynamic players.
Thompson could slot into the point guard role. He is tall for a point (nearly six-seven), but has tremendous court vision and first step to the basket. He’s also a plus defender, something new coach Ime Udoka should immediately love. The biggest issue for Thompson will be his shooting. He is not a good shooter from outside the paint (including the free throw line) on a team with a bunch of bad shooters. He will need loads of work in that area, but his upside is significant.
Whitmore is also a very athletic youngster with a bulldozer mentality when it comes to getting to the rim. The Villanova freshman has strength for days and a solid shot from the field. He knows how to make his own shot for himself and should fit well beside Jabari Smith and Alperen Sengun. He will need to improve his decision making and avoid turnovers, something we also heard about Tari Eason when he was drafted last season.
Overall, these are clearly upgrades, albeit with even more youth. Don’t be surprised if there are other moves made to clear additional cap space. KJ Martin and Jae’Sean Tate are both potential assets to get moved that could bring in veteran help or provide even more than the $60-plus million the Rockets currently have under the salary cap.
We saw how athletic the Rockets could be over the last two seasons. This only adds to that profile, but they will need to grow under Udoka if they are going to improve on their 22 wins from last year. Next up: free agency. Buckle up.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
