Latest news with #RafaelStone
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
2025 NBA mock drafts: Entering June, Houston's outlook at No. 10 overall
Sunday is June 1, which means that it is officially draft month in the NBA. The Houston Rockets currently own the No. 10 overall pick (via the Phoenix Suns) in the June 25 first round and the No. 59 overall pick in the June 26 second round (via the Oklahoma City Thunder). Some media reports have indicated that Houston is looking to shop the No. 10 pick on the trade market for a win-now upgrade, since the Rockets already have a deep stockpile of young players to develop. The Rockets struggled to find consistent minutes for guard prospects Reed Sheppard and Cam Whitmore in 2024-25, so adding another young player to the mix could create a logjam. Advertisement Furthermore, with the Rockets coming off a 52-30 regular season with the NBA's fourth-best record, there could certainly be appeal to using the first-round pick as a trade asset to bring in short-term help — as opposed to yet another prospect who could take years to develop. But if the Rockets keep the pick, there is no shortage of options. As of Sunday, June 1, here is a look at the latest wave of mock drafts and players that are being projected at No. 10 overall. Scouting reports and additional information are available at each corresponding link. Should Rockets general manager Rafael Stone keep this pick and opt against trades, the depth of the team's young core at the NBA level could lead to a 2025-26 rookie spending developmental time with the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, Houston's G League affiliate. Kasparas Jakučionis, 6-foot-6 guard, Illinois Fox Sports (May 31), Bleacher Report (May 29), NBC Sports (May 29) Carter Bryant, 6-foot-8 forward, Arizona Yahoo! Sports (May 30) Egor Demin, 6-foot-9 guard, BYU For The Win (May 29) Collin Murray-Boyles, 6-foot-7 forward, South Carolina CBS Sports (May 28), On3 (May 29) More: 2025 NBA mock drafts: Will Houston keep its 'Mr. Irrelevant' pick — and who might it be? This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: 2025 NBA mock drafts: Entering June, Houston's outlook at No. 10
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
ESPN: Rockets willing to shop 2025 draft pick for win-now upgrade
Courtesy of a pick obtained from the Phoenix Suns (via the Brooklyn Nets), the Houston Rockets have a top-10 pick in the 2025 NBA draft despite having just finished a 52-30 season with the No. 2 record in the Western Conference. The good news is that it's potentially more talent to add to the roster. The bad news is Houston isn't seemingly in position to develop another young prospect. Advertisement ESPN's Zach Kram offers a trade alternative: Chatter at the combine points to Houston (picking 10th), Portland (at No. 11), and San Antonio (picking again at No. 14) as teams willing to shop picks in the back half of the lottery for win-now upgrades. Houston, of course, just took the West's No. 2 seed and already has too many young promising players to fit into its rotation, meaning it might not be incentivized to add another. Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis is among the leading options for the Rockets at No. 10, but that's if they stay there. Moving out of the draft entirely is a viable option. The good news for Houston is that among the three picks ESPN listed, it's the No. 10 selection that is highest in the order. Thus, the Rockets and general manager Rafael Stone should have sufficient optionality as the June 25 first round nears. More: 2025 NBA mock drafts: Illinois' Kasparas Jakucionis draws early projections to Rockets This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: ESPN: Rockets willing to shop 2025 draft pick for win-now upgrade
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Report: NBA sources expect Rockets to shop 2025 draft pick on trade market
Courtesy of an asset obtained from the Phoenix Suns (via the Brooklyn Nets), the Houston Rockets have a top-10 pick in the 2025 NBA draft despite having just finished a 52-30 season with the No. 2 record in the Western Conference. The good news is that it's potentially more talent to add to the roster. The bad news is Houston may not be in position to develop another young prospect. Advertisement Recent reports have suggested that general manager Rafael Stone could look to trade the selection, and Friday's mock draft by Kevin O'Connor (Yahoo! Sports) adds more fuel to the fire. He writes: The Rockets have a pretty deep roster, as is, and minutes could be hard to come by for an incoming freshman... like they were for Reed Sheppard last year. So, league sources expect the Rockets to look into trading this pick, whether it's a trade way up, a trade out for a star, or a trade out for a group of future picks... similar to what the Spurs received from the Timberwolves when Minnesota moved up for Rob Dillingham last year. Given their depth of young players, the idea of the Rockets consolidating multiple assets makes sense, but it obviously depends on whether a player comes available that is worth such a deal. If not, trading out is an interesting concept. As of now, Houston's team payroll is still relatively inexpensive, since Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun are the only players among the so-called 'core seven' (first-round draft picks this decade) who are on their second NBA contracts. Advertisement But when players such as Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore, and Sheppard receive lucrative extensions, the payroll is likely to rise significantly. That could make having a rookie-scale contract starting in a future season, as opposed to 2025-26, more financially efficient for purposes of filling out the surrounding roster. The 2025 first round is scheduled for Wednesday, June 25, so Stone and the Rockets still have almost four weeks to mull through the scenarios. More: 2025 NBA mock drafts: Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis frequently linked to Rockets This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: NBA sources expect Rockets to shop 2025 draft pick on trade market
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
2025 NBA mock drafts: Entering June, Houston's outlook at No. 10 overall
Sunday is June 1, which means that it is officially draft month in the NBA. The Houston Rockets currently own the No. 10 overall pick (via the Phoenix Suns) in the June 25 first round and the No. 59 overall pick in the June 26 second round (via the Oklahoma City Thunder). Some media reports have indicated that Houston is looking to shop the No. 10 pick on the trade market for a win-now upgrade, since the Rockets already have a deep stockpile of young players to develop. The Rockets struggled to find consistent minutes for guard prospects Reed Sheppard and Cam Whitmore in 2024-25, so adding another young player to the mix could create a logjam. Advertisement Furthermore, with the Rockets coming off a 52-30 regular season with the NBA's fourth-best record, there could certainly be appeal to using the first-round pick as a trade asset to bring in short-term help — as opposed to yet another prospect who could take years to develop. But if the Rockets keep the pick, there is no shortage of options. As of Sunday, June 1, here is a look at the latest wave of mock drafts and players that are being projected at No. 10 overall. Scouting reports and additional information are available at each corresponding link. Should Rockets general manager Rafael Stone keep this pick and opt against trades, the depth of the team's young core at the NBA level could lead to a 2025-26 rookie spending developmental time with the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, Houston's G League affiliate. Kasparas Jakučionis, 6-foot-6 guard, Illinois Fox Sports (May 31), Bleacher Report (May 29), NBC Sports (May 29) Carter Bryant, 6-foot-8 forward, Arizona Yahoo! Sports (May 30) Egor Demin, 6-foot-9 guard, BYU For The Win (May 29) Collin Murray-Boyles, 6-foot-7 forward, South Carolina CBS Sports (May 28), On3 (May 29) More: 2025 NBA mock drafts: Will Houston keep its 'Mr. Irrelevant' pick — and who might it be? This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: 2025 NBA mock drafts: Entering June, Houston's outlook at No. 10
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
May 2025 update: ESPN ranks Rockets fourth in NBA for future first-round draft assets
With future first-round draft equity held via their own choices and assets from the Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns, and Dallas Mavericks, the Houston Rockets are in a lucrative position. Not only did the Rockets finished with the NBA's fourth-best record (52-30) in the recently completed 2024-25 season, but they also have the fourth-best inventory of future picks, according to May 2025 rankings from ESPN's Bobby Marks and Jeremy Woo. Advertisement That's a unique combination, since most good teams rank near the bottom of future draft rankings. After all, many have had to cash in those types of assets on the trade market in order to land a team of such quality. Additionally, draft picks from winning franchises are often low in each year's order, due to the projected strength of that team's roster. But under general manager Rafael Stone, Houston is in a rare position where it can potentially build a sustainable contender. That's due in large part to an ability to continually supplement its team in place with talented young prospects, with many obtained via high selections from other teams that are struggling. Houston drafted Reed Sheppard at No. 3 in 2024 with a pick obtained from Brooklyn, while its No. 10 selection in 2025 is via Phoenix. Another option, of course, is to eventually trade some of those assets for a marquee veteran acquisition (Giannis Antetokounmpo, anyone?) that can further improve Houston's roster. ESPN's Woo summarizes the outlook: If Sheppard's limited role this season is any indicator, the Rockets' depth and quality means it's not a given that whomever they draft (at No. 10 overall in 2025) will need to play consistent minutes under coach Ime Udoka. Though some roster consolidation will eventually be in order, the Rockets are in a strong situation, holding both future draft capital and emerging young talent. That all suggests that Houston can go whatever direction it wants with this pick, whether that's swinging on the prospect with the most upside (as the Rockets often do), or using it as a trade chip to move the roster closer to contention. Advertisement As things stand, Houston's draft outlook beyond 2025 (per ESPN) features nine future first-round picks; only one outgoing selection (a top-four-protected pick to Oklahoma City in 2026); and seven second-round choices. Factoring in the NBA's Stepien rule, which prevents teams from being without first-round selections in consecutive future drafts, this allows the Rockets to trade as many as five first-round picks in a single deal. However, there are ways to creatively get around that rule, in some circumstances. According to ESPN's list, the only three NBA teams with superior future draft outlooks are the Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 1), the Nets (No. 2), and the Utah Jazz (No. 3). The latter two were among the league's worst teams last season. In ESPN's previous rankings from last September (just prior to 2024-25), the Rockets were fifth in the league — trailing the same three teams and San Antonio. However, the Spurs have since fallen to No. 13 after cashing in a number of those future draft assets in a February 2025 trade for De'Aaron Fox. Advertisement More: February 2025 trade deadline update: Rockets' NBA draft assets, protections through 2031 This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: ESPN ranks Rockets fourth in NBA for future first-round draft assets
