Dream Rockets draft can finally make sense of the Rockets roster

The Rockets have undergone a years-long rebuild since trading away James Harden in 2021, but always been afflicted by a lack of point guard depth. That fate has led them to over-relying on Fred VanVleet even now, but it could finally change if things line up well in the 2026 Draft. Hopefully, the Rockets will have some good options at pick No. 39 of point guards that can contribute right away.

The Rockets should have multiple good options

The biggest needs for the Rockets are clearly in the areas of shooting and ball-handling. Both attributes should still be readily available even at the 39th overall pick, since this year's draft is considered exceptionally deep. The changing landscape of college basketball and NIL money is also leading to more polished second-round picks.

Purdue's Braden Smith should be prominent on Houston's radar. He's got some of the same strengths as VanVleet, which helps both players be steady presences at the point guard spot. Both are capable playmakers and shooters that can direct an offense to be better than the sum of its parts. Adding Smith in this draft could give the Rockets an obvious successor to their floor general role as VanVleet gets older.

If the Rockets are instead laser-focused on solving their shooting issues or Smith is already off the board, they should have plenty of other options too. One of the most intriguing is Ryan Conwell, who established himself as one of the best shooters in the country over his last 3 college seasons. Conwell regularly shot over 40% from deep in college with very impressive volume - over 9 threes per game last season.

The second round is a great spot for the Rockets

Both Smith and Conwell are older prospects who played 4 years of college basketball. For many teams, that might be a downside to a draft prospect but it should be the exact opposite for the Rockets. Since Houston is building its team to compete now, they should cherish more experienced rookies that can handle NBA pressure better.

With that considered, drafting in the second round isn't as big of a disadvantage for the Rockets. Inevitably some of their ideal fits will fall in the draft right into their laps, especially as other teams prioritize potential and hypothetical ceilings over immediate production.

Houston also has another pick at No. 53 overall, which could still produce some value if they use it wisely. Even a simple depth piece, such as Tarris Reed Jr. as another center, would be a great pickup so late in the draft. If all goes well, the Rockets could walk away with a much better-fitting roster after the draft, even with just a couple of second-round picks.

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