Houston trading third overall pick would have huge impact on Reed Sheppard

At eight a.m., the day of the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets still have the third choice overall. There have been rumors that the Rokcets are interested in returning to the draft by trading their pick.

One of the teams that has been floated as a possibility to trade for the third overall pick is the Charlotte Hornets. This would have an effect on Reed Sheppard as the Hornets could very well take the former Wildcat sharpshooter, but he wouldn’t be as good a fit in Charlotte as he would be in Houston.

The dynamic between LaMelo Ball and Sheppard probably wouldn’t be as smooth as the one between Jalen Green and Sheppard. This is why Sheppard has to hope the Rockets don’t trade the pick to the Hornets, because it probably wouldn’t be a place he would thrive if they were to pick him.

Throughout the NBA draft process, the two best landing spots for Sheppard have been the Houston Rockets or San Antonio Spurs, and those two teams currently own three of the top eight picks. The key to a successful NBA career is landing with a team that best matches your skill set as a player. If this doesn’t happen, it can lead to a short or disappointing career.

Charlotte is where players get their careers cut short, so Sheppard has to hope the Rockets hold on to the third overall pick and take the former Wildcat.