Senior Insider Predicts Rockets Will Make Major Mistake in Latest Mock Draft

The new and improved 2023-24 Houston Rockets have given Rockets fans something to be excited about. After three grueling and nerve-wracking seasons, the franchise finally appears to have a formidable group of young talents.

Alperen Sengun showed the potential to become a fringe-level player, Fred VanVleet finally gave the Rockets their long-awaited point guard, after stints with Kevin Porter Jr. and John Wall at the point guard proved unsuccessful, and the The team has a viable reserve of wing players (Tari Eason, Amen Thompson, Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green).

The team lacked play and especially shooting, ranking 25th in assists and 23rd in 3-point shooting. With the third pick in this year’s draft, the Rockets could remedy those issues.

Most experts and prognosticators expect the franchise to select Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard, who would fill both needs while providing a viable defense true to the team’s identity.

However, Kelly Iko, the longtime writer for The Athletic, built a model that was very different from what has been developed recently.

Iko predicts the Rockets will select Connecticut guard Stephon Castle. Its synopsis is below.

“The Connecticut winger’s size, upside and positional versatility correlate strongly with general manager Rafael Stone’s draft history, and Castle’s defensive acumen and penchant for making game-winning plays align with the philosophy of head coach Ime Udoka Houston is also working to strengthen its game, with the future of free agent Aaron Holiday uncertain after a strong year.

Castle’s college shooting, long-term projections and ability to play point guard will all play a role in the Rockets’ evaluation of the wing. What is its real position? Castle has talked a lot about his abilities as a primary ball handler, which influenced his pre-draft visits, but that doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things — you go where you get drafted. »

Iko mentioned Castle’s desire to play point guard in the NBA, which reportedly led to his refusal to practice with teams that already have point guards in the fold (like the Rockets).

Castle’s inability to shoot makes him a risky pick for a team that needs to shoot, like the Rockets. However, the Rockets could certainly do a lot worse from a talent standpoint.

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