NBA Mock Draft: Rockets double down on point guard spot in new mock

The Houston Rockets have put themselves in an excellent position.

They're the second seed in the West, yet they're frequently involved in the NBA's "best young core" talks. The Rockets are winning now, and they're set up to win for years to come.

It's a wonderful situation, but as in life, nothing is perfect. Some critics have suggested that the Rockets are too reliant on their veterans. In particular, they look to Fred VanVleet to manage the offense. By the time Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jalen Green, and company are in their primes, VanVleet will be approaching retirement.

There's still hope for Reed Sheppard to be his successor. Still, his rookie season has raised questions. So, some would have the Rockets look for another point guard in the upcoming draft.

A new mock from Fox Sports has them selecting Saint-Quentin's Nolan Traore.

Rockets select intriguing point guard in new mock

Traore would be an interesting choice. He's a 6'4" point guard with blinding quickness and outstanding floor vision.

Defensively, Traore is a competitor. He can suffocate opposing ball-handlers at the point of attack. With such a well-rounded skillset, it's no surprise that at one time, Traore was seen as a potential top-5 pick.

Unfortunately, some limitations in his game have hurt his stock. Traore's ability to score at the NBA level is questionable. He lacks the explosiveness to consistently finish around the rim, and he's shooting a paltry 23.2% from three-point range in the LNB Elite League this year.

Is this the right guy for the Rockets?

Rockets have better options than Traore

There are better fits for this team.

That's not to say Traore is an atrocious pick for Houston. In some respects, he's the opposite of Sheppard. Where Traore is a plus-sized point guard who won't be exploited on defense, Sheppard is small. Sheppard is one of the best shooting prospects we've seen in recent years, whereas Traore struggles in that area.

Either player could change the narrative. Traore has garnered some comparisons to Lonzo Ball. He came into the league as a weak shooter, reinvented his form, and turned that into one of his biggest strengths. Sheppard is small, but he's got exceedingly quick hands and good defensive instincts - he could be a positive on that end of the floor.

If the Rockets want to grab Traore and let the duo openly compete for the starting spot, that would be sensible. Stil, it feels smarter to simply select an intuitive fit. The Rockets could grab a natural shooter like Liam McNeeley or Kon Knueppel and find a spot for him on day one.

That would put them in an even better position.