NBA Mock Draft: Rockets select talented big man in new mock

The Houston Rockets don't know where they'll be drafting this summer.

The fate of their pick rests in the hands of the Suns. Some Rockets fans have lottery dreams. Fair enough. The Suns have been shaky this year. When the aging Kevin Durant isn't available, they're a fringe lottery team.

When he's healthy, they're formidable. It doesn't feel like Phoenix will be hanging any championship banners any time soon, but they can avoid the lottery with good injury luck.

That doesn't mean the Rockets can't extract an interesting prospect from them. A new mock draft has them picking up a very intriguing big man.

Rockets land talented big in latest mock

Specifically, Bleacher Report's new mock draft has the Rockets selecting Maryland's Derik Queen.

Queen is an interesting player. He's a monster on the low block. Queen uses an array of moves and nifty footwork to score around the rim at will.

He's also a fantastic positional passer. Queen commands a double team at the college level. If that holds in the NBA, he could be the rare primary playmaker who plays the 5.

He's not a perfect prospect. Queen's lateral mobility is limited. His ability to defend at the NBA level will be a question mark. Queen isn't much of a floor spacer either.

Does that sound like someone else?

Rockets shouldn't burn a pick on Queen

That's right. Queen has an overwhelmingly similar player profile to Alperen Sengun.

Yes, Sengun has improved defensively. Sure, Queen could do the same. Even if Ime Udoka can train him to defend at the level as he has for Sengun, the Rockets could use a big man who is a primary rim protector in their rotation.

Moreover, Queen will struggle to find a runway to meet his potential if he's behind Sengun. Queen has star potential, but he's not a sure thing. If he lands on the Rockets, we may never find out what he's able to do.

This mock has Georgetown's Thomas Sorber off the board by the time Houston selects, but he'd be a more suitable target if they want a big. Sorber looks like a stout rim protector who can control the glass, but he's offensively limited. He's not as boom-or-bust as Queen. Sorber looks like a long-term rotation big in the NBA whether he's a low-usage starter or a high-end backup.

Sure, the Rockets could justify selecting Queen. If they think he's overwhelmingly the best prospect on the board when their name is called, they can create some internal competition for Sengun. It just feels a bit unrealistic that Queen could win that battle with Sengun entering his fifth year. The Rockets should be looking to diversify their big man rotation unless they think Queen is a clearcut superstar.

That said, they don't even know where they'll be drafting.