Houston Rockets: 5 NBA draft prospects worth trading up for
Houston Rockets: NBA draft prospect to trade up for Josh Giddey
Guard, Adelaide 36ers (Australia)/ Projected: 9th, High: 8th, Low: 16th
A 6’8 point guard with preternatural passing instincts, an extraordinary basketball IQ, and a team-first mentality…wait, why are we talking about projected number one overall pick Cade Cunningham?
Jokes aside, Giddey does lack a couple of the qualities that make Cunningham the top prospect in this year’s draft: namely, a reliable three-point stroke and athleticism. Otherwise, the comparison is fairer than many may think.
During his lone season with the Adelaide 36ers, Giddey demonstrated an ability to run an offense and enhance the play of his teammates that belied his age, resulting in impressive averages of 7.5 assists to go along with 3.3 turnovers per game. For a Houston Rockets team that ranked 24th in the league in assists per game last season, Giddey’s passing chops could be a serious boon to a generally stagnant offensive attack.
At 6’8, it isn’t difficult to envision Giddey bolstering Houston’s second unit during his rookie campaign, potentially spending time at the one, two, and three spots. Giddey could be particularly valuable in a scenario where the Rockets are starting a backcourt of Kevin Porter Jr and Jalen Green, a scoring heavy tandem who could potentially be a little light on playmaking. With that being said, no matter who is on Coach Silas’s roster to start the 2021-22 roster, Josh Giddey would surely be a welcomed addition.