NBA Mock Draft: Rockets define insanity in latest mock

The Houston Rockets didn't treat Reed Sheppard like a typical third overall pick.

That's because they weren't a typical high lottery team. The pick came via the Nets. The Rockets were in win-now mode. A 52-win season vindicated their decision-making process.

Sheppard was not ready to play at the same level of basketball. That's not a serious indictment. Few rookies come into the league ready to contribute to a 50+ win outfit. That said, some may have been able to contribute more than Sheppard.

There are reasons Udoka didn't trust Sheppard. Most of them came down to his size. Sheppard was too easy to exploit as a small guard.

So why would the Rockets select a player with the same flaw with their upcoming 10th overall pick?

Rockets grab small guard in new mock

USA Today has the Rockets doing that. They select Michigan State's Jase Richardson in a new mock draft.

Granted, it's an AI draft. That's interesting. I'm still counting it as USA Today's mock. If I used ChatGPT to write my articles, Fansided wouldn't be thrilled - whether I credited the app or not.

Jokes aside, using an AI model to craft your mock draft is fun. Still, AI got this one wrong.

Richardson is a talented player. He canned 41.2% of his threes for Michigan State last year. He's also able to function as a ball-handler. Richardson makes good decisions in the pick-and-roll.

Does all that sound familiar?

Rockets must avoid same mistake twice

Reed Sheppard 52.1% of his threes for Duke before the Rockets took him. He could have hit 100%:

Ime Udoka still would not have played the small guard.

Richardson was listed at 6'3", but the scuttlebug suggests that he measured 6'0" at the combine. That's going to make life difficult for him at the NBA level. The Rockets don't need to be developing two small guards simultaneously.

In looking at this mock draft, Ratiopharm Ulm's Noa Essengue would have been a better choice. The 6'10" wing has the defensive versatility to contribute immediately, and the potential to do more down the line.

Alternatively, BYU's Egor Demin would be an interesting choice. He's 6'9" and has the potential to be a point guard in the NBA. He has the opposite concerns as Sheppard and Richardson - he can't shoot. It's unclear how Demin will score at the NBA level, but at least Houston would diversify their portfolio by selecting him.

By investing another lottery pick in a small guard, they'll be defining insanity.