THE 2024 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft is rapidly approaching, with each team making their final preparations ahead of adding some young talent to the best competition in the world.

There is some seriously impressive young talent available, with the crop stretching all around the globe as more international players begin to gain recognition. Suddenly, the collegiate system is not the only method to joining the NBA, which has allowed a broader range of players to compete at the top level.

With the NBA wrapping up the 2023/24 season as we speak, the teams already eliminated have spent the past few weeks considering which players they will select to prepare for the future, and the recent Draft Lottery saw the official order determined.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be taking a look at each team and how their draft will potentially pan out on June 26-27. With all 30 sides in their own unique situation, there is plenty to unpack ahead of the next injection of exciting players.

On the list today are the Houston Rockets, who also shot up the draft board after delivering a campaign that had plenty of promise moving forward.

Houston Rockets

Draft Selections

3, 44

Contracted Players

Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams, Jalen Green (team option), Jeff Green, Jabari Smith Jr. (team option), Amen Thompson, Jock Landale, Jae’Sean Tate, Alperen Sengun (team option), Tari Eason (team option), Cam Whitmore

The Rockets have accelerated their rebuilding process with an important campaign last season, almost making the play-in tournament and showing the NBA how much star power this team possesses. The young core of Jalen Green, Thompson, Smith Jr. and Sengun delivered plenty of promise, and now the Rockets can add another key piece with another top three selection.

It makes sense for Houston to add a point guard here, unless it plans on moving Thompson to that position, but he still seems too raw of a prospect to consider that yet. Given VanVleet is still on the team and performing well, there is no rush for the next Rockets floor general to contribute right away.

One option that could fit the bill here is Nikola Topic, who has been playing in Serbia and making quite the name for himself. While he still has work to do on his jumpshot and the physicality of the NBA will certainly be different, the veteran presence of VanVleet could help this process, and at six-foot-six with strong court awareness, Topic could be the team’s point guard of the future.

Another option is Reed Sheppard, who brings plenty of floor spacing as a combo guard, but is better suited next to a point guard rather than playing the role himself. If the Rockets look to Thompson as their long-term solution in this position, Sheppard’s perimeter presence next to him could be an exciting prospect.

Later in the draft, the Rockets will look for the best player available, and there are certainly some bolters that could still be on the board, such as Arkansas forward Trevon Brazile, Minnesota shooting guard Cam Christie and Wake Forest’s Hunter Sallis, all of whom have caught the eye in the last year.

Another scenario that may be in the Rockets’ best interests is to trade the third pick and potentially out of the draft altogether, as the team has publicly stated its view of being in ‘win now’ mode.