Houston will not pay Detroit’s price for the No. 1 overall pick
There have been discussions about the Houston Rockets possibly looking to trade up for the Detroit Pistons’ No. 1 pick in this year’s draft in order to take Cade Cunningham, but these talks have seem to settle down dramatically. Shams Charania of The Athletic originally reported that Houston was “aggressively pursuing” Detroit’s No. 1 overall pick, but a source have told NBA Analysis Network that this is not the case anymore.
Houston finished with the worst record in the league during the 2020-21 season at 17-55 and were rewarded with the second pick in this year’s draft at the 2021 NBA Draft Lottery back in June. While they definitely would like to add Cade Cunningham to take over the point guard position moving forward, adding Jalen Green is just as good for them at the shooting guard position.
With Kevin Porter Jr. being able to play on or off-the-ball, as well as Green also being able to do both, the Rockets are going to have two very athletic and score-first mentality type of guards on their roster that they can build with for the foreseeable future. Evan Mobley is also an option for the Rockets with this second pick, but sources told NBA Analysis Network a few weeks back that Jalen Green will be their selection.
With James Harden gone and the Rockets rebuilding, being able to build a sustainable backcourt is extremely important. John Wall is a veteran player that they will likely look to move at some point during the 2021-22 season, but realistically, no team is going to want to pursue Wall and his giant contract.
READ MORE: NBA Draft Rumors: 3 trade scenarios for Warriors involving No. 7 and No. 14 picks
Buying him out will be the only way to free Wall from Houston’s roster, which is why he will likely play out his contract with the Rockets through the 2022-23 season.
Drafting Jalen Green is the clear choice for the Rockets now that they are not going to trade up for the Pistons’ No. 1 overall selection. Cade Cunningham is a great player and will continue to be in the NBA, but Jalen Green possesses just as much upside, which is why the Rockets “win” holding onto this second pick.
