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Houston Rockets: 5 NBA draft prospects worth trading up for

By James Piercey

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 18: Jalen Green #4 of the G League Ignite brings the ball up the floor during a G-League game against the Westchester Knicks at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on February 18, 2021 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 18: Jalen Green #4 of the G League Ignite brings the ball up the floor during a G-League game against the Westchester Knicks at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on February 18, 2021 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. /
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Houston Rockets, NBA Draft
Alperen Sengun of Besiktas Icrypex (Photo by Elif Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) /

Houston Rockets: NBA draft prospect to trade up for Alperen Sengün

Center, Besiktas J.K (Turkey)/ Projected: 16th, High: 8th, Low: 36th

We’ve just dedicated substantial space to outlining the Rockets’ need for more passing in their rotation. Typically, teams seek passing from guards, but who says that playmaking boost can’t come from the five spot?

Like so many international big men before him,  Sengün is a gifted passer. He also possesses a related attribute that the Rockets have been light on for two consecutive seasons: sheer size. Furthermore, he knows how to use it, scoring more effectively with his back to the basket than any Rocket since…Yao Ming? Really?

Related Story. Which NBA Draft prospect is the best fit at no. 2?

It’s not hard to imagine this kid drawing double teams in the post, and it’s equally easy to imagine him making the appropriate passes out of those double teams to one of Houston’s multiple shooters. As great as Kelly Olynyk was in Houston last season, he does not project as a long-term fit.

At 30, he doesn’t fit Houston’s rebuilding timeline, and his skill set is redundant with Christian Wood’s. Sengün would give Silas options, either as Wood’s primary backup or playing alongside him in a dual big lineup. If he looks good enough, he could even give the Rockets the option of trading Wood, but we’ll save that can of worms for another article.