NBA Mock Draft: Rockets land talented scorer in latest mock

The NBA's draft cycle spins for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Houston Rockets fans are intimately familiar with it. They've grown accustomed to keeping an eye on the world's best young players as they prepare for life in the NBA.

Somehow, the Rockets are always in the lottery. After three seasons of tanking, they were handed the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft by way of the Brooklyn Nets. This year, the Suns are struggling - and the Rockets own their pick.

A new mock draft from ESPN has them picking up an intriguing player as a result.

Rockets draft new scoring guard in latest mock

Rockets fans, meet Tre Johnson.

Unless you're already acquainted. Johnson plays for the Texas Longhorns, so local hoops heads may know the name.

For the uninitiated, Johnson is a 6'6" off-guard averaging 19.3 points per game. He's a three-level scorer who's especially crafty in the midrange. Johnson has room to grow on the defensive end, but he's got the athletic tools. With plus positional height and an impressive 7'0" wingspan, Johnson is raw clay for Ime Udoka to mold on that end of the floor.

Is he the right pick for the Rockets?

Rockets should explore options in draft

Let's frame it this way - Johnson isn't the wrong pick per se. That's not the same as saying he's the right pick.

His three-point shooting is inconsistent. Johnson is hitting a solid 38.6% of his triples throughout the college season, but he's down to just 32.9% in 12 games of SEC competition.

He's also not much of a playmaker. Johnson is averaging just 2.6 assists per game this year. In many respects, he profiles as a taller, less explosive Jalen Green at the NBA level.

Rockets fans have had the Jalen Green experience. It's yielded many highs and lows. Green still has potential, but bringing a similarly flawed guard on board could prove problematic.

Still, you've got to judge any draft selection relative to the other players left on the board. If you're going to criticize a selection, you ought to know who you'd have selected. Otherwise, you're just talking.

Time to put my money where my mouth is.

Liam McNeeley is still on the board in this mock when ESPN has the Rockets taking Johnson. He'd be the better choice. He's shooting 37.6% from deep this year, and 44.8% in Big East conference play.

He's not just a more reliable shooter. McNeeley is a better passer - he's only averaging 2.3 assists per game, but he has the ball far less often than Johnson. McNeeley is a great connective passer. He's a more impactful defender than Johnson as well.

Johnson has a notable edge in shot creation, but the Rockets have plenty of that. They need more supporting pieces around their creators. If their front office thinks Johnson is a potential superstar they should take him, but they'd be going against the grain in terms of Johnson's perception. He's got All-Star potential, but without the playmaking chops to be a lead guard, he's likely to top out at a selection or two at best. That said, he's got time to show us more:

The NBA draft cycle never stops.