5 Best players the Houston Rockets could trade for on NBA Draft day

We can't wait for the NBA draft.

You probably can't either. After all, you're a Houston Rockets fan. By now, you're surely tired of all the speculation surrounding what they'll do with the third overall pick.

So, we're here to provide some more speculation. We're still determining what we think the Rockets should do. One can easily make the case that they should keep it simple and select the player they think is the best available.

If they do decide to trade for some win-now help, here are 5 players we'd like them to target in order of our preference.

5. Keldon Johnson

The Spurs are in a similar position to the Rockets a few years ago. The only difference is that they've got Victor Wembanyama.

Life is suffering.

In any event, the Spurs need to flesh out the roster around Wembanyama. They have some intriguing young talent, but nobody else on their roster is a clear cornerstone. Still, if any one of these guys is going to be around when the Spurs (inevitably) start competing for the NBA title, it's likely to be Devin Vassell.

Considering that, the similar Keldon Johnson is seen as a prime trade target. Moreover, the Spurs have the fourth and eighth pick in the upcoming draft. Could they be interested in flipping Johnson and the eighth pick for the Rockets' third overall selection?

Perhaps. Still, the Rockets may want to think twice. Johnson's best season came in 2022-23, when he averaged 22.0 points per game. It's worth noting that with his career-high three-point volume (6.5 attempts per game) came a tremendous dip in efficiency (32.9%).

Johnson is a good player. He's a three-level scorer with at least some defensive value. Still, the Rockets need floor spacing above all else. It may be prudent to target a lower-cost player who satisfies the team's needs.