Draft expert poses million dollar question for Rockets

At this juncture, it's unclear what the Houston Rockets will do with the second pick of the 2021 NBA Draft. It's been reported that the Rockets may be torn between G-League star Jalen Green and USC big man Evan Mobley.

We've heard that the analytical minds think Mobley is the better pick and the "traditional draft minds" think that Green is the better pick. Neither prospect is flawless, as Green's defense needs to improve, while Mobley's frame is concerning, as he's built more like a 7-foot wing, as opposed to a rim protecting center.

Draft expert poses million dollar question for Houston Rockets

Long-time college coach and current draft expert Fran Fraschilla suggested that Christian Wood could factor into the Rockets' decision of who to draft, on Sirius XM's Draft Preview Show.

"Houston, do they take Mobley when they have Christian Wood? And is that why they take Jalen Green? Maybe."

Fraschilla coached at Manhattan, St. John's, and New Mexico, and amassed a 176-99 record, and even won the MAAC Coach of the Year award in 1995, when his Manhattan Jaspers went 26-5 and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Fraschilla's line of thinking about the Rockets' decision at #2 in this month's draft has been pointed out by others, but it shouldn't weigh into the Rockets' decision. For one, the addition of Mobley would allow Wood to play the power forward spot, which is naturally a better fit for Wood than center.

We've also seen Wood play alongside an actual center, as he even thrived playing next to Kelly Olynyk (although Olynyk and Mobley have much different skillsets). Wood averaged 20.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 18 games in which he and Olynyk both suited up for the Rockets. 

We've also heard that Rockets GM Rafael Stone has had his sights set on Oklahoma State star Cade Cunningham, which is irrelevant unless the Detroit Pistons (who hold the first pick in this month's draft) aren't interested in Cunningham, who is the top rated prospect in this month's draft. 

Regardless of what the Rockets end up doing, they're going to walk away with a franchise-altering talent, which is why the Rockets secured a major victory with last month's lottery results.