Houston Rockets are ‘worst fit’ for projected top five prospects

The Houston Rockets’ selections in popular mock drafts have remained consistent — it’s Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard or UConn’s Donovan Clingan.

Sheppard looks to be an immediate, instant contributor, if that’s the choice. He’s an athletic floor spacer, capable of making the right play and knocking down shots at an efficient clip.

Would Clingan be a good fit for Houston, though? Bleacher Report looked at the best and worst fits for the lottery’s projected prospects, which included Clingan. They claim the worst lottery for him would be the Rockets.

“Dig deeper and you’ll see that the Rockets don’t have an opening at the 5, where rising star Alperen Şengün just ranked second on the team in minutes, shots and assists. You’ll also notice that Houston is already tight for spacing and could become even more cramped as it expands the role of non-shooting point guard Amen Thompson,” Bleacher Report wrote.

Obviously, the only way a Clingan fit would work would be some movement on the roster. As Bleacher Report alluded to, there is some overlap with Sengun. Moving on from Sengun would open the way to add the 7-foot-2 center to the starting lineup.

You see, Sengun is fighting for the No. 1 option within the Rockets’ offense while contributing little to the team’s defensive scheme. Clingan would embody the culture and defense-first mentality, while paving the way for Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet to be creators on offense without going through the middle.

However, if the team retains Sengun and keeps their pick, expect Sheppard or another prospect to wear a Rockets jersey this fall. Of course, the best choice for Sheppard was the Rockets, which makes sense given the constant mockery of sending him to Houston.

Regardless, the Rockets have decisions to make and a direction to take and the 2024 NBA Draft will be a catalyst for the team to get there.

READ MORE: Projected Top Pick Falls to Rockets in Latest CBS Sports Mock Draft

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