3 prospects the Houston Rockets need to target with the 16th pick

The Houston Rockets trade of Robert Covington netted them the 16th pick in the 2020 draft. These are the three prospects they should target.

The Houston Rockets trade of Robert Covington to the Portland Trail Blazers netted them Trevor Ariza, a 2021 first-round pick, and the 16th pick in Wednesday night’s NBA draft. The Rockets went into the offseason without any pick in the 2020 draft and now find themselves with the first pick outside of the NBA’s draft lottery.

The Rockets have endured an offseason of upheaval with changes at both the head coaching and general manager positions. Out went Mike D’Antoni as the Rockets head coach and in went Stephen Silas, while Rafael Stone replaced Daryl Morey as general manager.

Now the Rockets’ MVP backcourt of James Harden and Russell Westbrook are angling for trades out of Houston. The 16th pick will give Houston their first first-round pick since 2015 and a chance to start rebuilding a roster that looks certain to be very different than it was last season.

The Rockets need to target a high potential prospect regardless of their bust probability. The Rockets don’t own many of their upcoming picks after surrendering them in their trade for Russell Westbrook from the OKC Thunder in the summer of 2019. These are the three prospects that the Rockets should target to land their star of the future.

Next: Prospect No. 3

3. Tyrell Terry: Guard-Stanford

If the 2020 NBA draft had happened in late June, as it usually does, then Tyrell Terry could have been a second-round pick. Listed at only 6’2 and 160 pounds, the diminutive Terry lacked the physicality that NBA teams covet.

However, Terry used the time off to hit the gym hard and weighed in at 170 pounds at the NBA draft combine while also showing improved athleticism. What has never been a question with Terry is his ability to score the ball from all over the court.

In his lone season at Stanford, Terry went from a potential redshirt candidate to averaging 14.6 points a game on 40.8-percent 3-point shooting. Terry is not the prospect that Trae Young was coming out of college but he has shown flashes of the long-range scoring ability that modern NBA offenses thrive on.

The Rockets need to swing for the fences and Terry could be that homerun. His combination of elite shooting and work ethic portend, at the very least, a long NBA career. What will ultimately decide his upside will be his defense and playmaking.

Terry’s small stature will prevent him from being an elite defender but through the right supporting cast and defensive system, this deficiency can be minimized in the way that the Golden State Warriors are able to protect Steph Curry on the defensive end.

Terry’s passing will also need to improve for him to be an offensive cornerstone but scouts believe his feel for the game will allow him to grow in this department substantially. If the Rockets move on from James Harden and Russell Westbrook, that will create ample opportunities for Terry to hone his playmaking.

The NBA is prioritizing shooting and playmaking more than ever, which makes Terry’s physical limitations less of a problem than they would have been in other eras. The best-case scenario for Terry is as a flame-throwing scorer, with his floor as a 3-point specialist that can help space the floor.

Next: Prospect No. 2

2. Precious Achiuwa: Center-Memphis

The Houston Rockets currently do not have a center and it cost them dearly in the playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers. Precious Achiuwa is a physical marvel that has the tools to be an elite defensive big who can switch screens on the perimeter and defend the paint.

As an assistant with the Dallas Mavericks last season, Houston Rockets’ head coach Stephen Silas, deployed a deadly pick-and-roll to power the league’s highest-rated offense. Achiuwa could slot in from day one as a lethal pick-and-roll rim runner who slams home easy lobs and creates driving lanes for guards.

Early in his career, Achiwua’s role on offense will be as a pick and roll runner and putback artist with the development of the rest of his offensive game dictating his ceiling. In his lone season at Memphis, Achiwua shot 59.9-percent from the free-throw line, which limits the likelihood that he’ll ever have the range to be a 3-point threat.

The appeal in drafting Achiuwa is that he fills an immediate area of need on defense and could fit into lineups with whatever remains of the Rockets’ current roster. The hard pill to swallow for Rockets fans is that drafting Achiuwa will mean it was a mistake to trade Clint Capela in the first place.

Elite defensive big men can keep an otherwise shaky defensive unit afloat. The Utah Jazz have been able to add more and more scoring to their lineups because Rudy Gobert can cover-up the rest of the roster’s defensive limitations.

Precious Achiuwa’s upside is as a transformative defensive player that could average around 15 to 16 points a game at his peak. While his floor is as a high-energy center who provides value on the glass and in the pick and roll, something the Rockets currently lack.

Next: Prospect No. 1

1. Aleksej Pokusevski: Wing – Serbia

The way things are trending the Rockets could be without James Harden and Russell Westbrook when the season starts in December. Aleksej Pokusevski has the high-end upside that could completely change the trajectory of the franchise.

Standing 7’0 with a 7’3 wingspan, Pokusevski has the length of an NBA center but the fluidity and game of a shooting guard. 15 years ago NBA teams would have tried to move Pokusevski into the paint but in today’s game, he will be utilized as a combo guard on offense and a paint patrolling big on defense.

Watching Pokusevski’s game is awe-inspiring and has no obvious NBA comparison. His ability to start and stop at such a gargantuan size is uncanny and he backs it all up with a fluid jump shot and audacious passing.

The reason why Pokusevski isn’t a bonafide top-10 pick is that he carries a rail-thin frame, his quality of opponent has been very poor, and his uncertain defensive potential. The concerns over Pokusevski’s frame are warranted but not nearly as important when his offensive game is so perimeter-oriented.

While Pokusevski hasn’t played much against Europe’s elite talent he has been in a professional setting since he was 13 and made his Euroleague debut at only 17-years-old, which spells some concerns over the quality of competition argument. His inconsistent defensive effort is certainly a concern but for a player with such prodigious offensive talent, it seems overstated for a player so clearly above his competition level.

There is serious bust potential with Pokusevski but his upside could be as one of the league’s most unguardable offensive talents. His height and quick release mean almost every shot of his will be uncontested and his playmaking chops could see him carve up teams foolish enough to send a center to cover him on the perimeter.

If his body never fills out and his defense remains absent then Pokusevski could end up being just another lightning rod scorer that gives up too much on the defensive end to make it work. The Rockets don’t need a sure thing they need a star and Pokusevski could be just that.