Houston Rockets draft prospect rumors are more smoke than substance

While the idea of pairing Jaden Ivey with Jalen Green is an intriguing prospect for the Houston Rockets, we don't see the rumors as very likely through a lens of realism.

The Houston Rockets need to focus on best player available above all else as they approach the 2022 NBA Draft. The current roster as it's constructed doesn't leave a ton of room to wonder about what a guy could turn into outside of Jalen Green, but Kevin Porter Jr. is a tough guy to peg.

KPJ showed plenty of hot and cold in year one to prove his supporters and detractors right simultaneously, and while there are some questions remaining about his future in the role, they don't seem big enough to put the Rockets in a position to draft Jaden Ivey.

If the Rockets were picking at four, Ivey probably would be the best pick by a mile. At three, it seems hard to pass on a forward when there is a need and KPJ is still getting a shot to prove himself in a new role.

This is likely why recent Rockets conjecture on the front of Ivey is just meant to serve as a misdirection as we get closer to the draft.

Ivey and Green would undoubtedly be a great backcourt that would be able to dominate offensively for a long time to come, but that duo isn't better than what the Rockets would be able to get by taking a forward.

Houston needs the defense that a guy like Jabari Smith or Chet Holmgren would bring. If they miss on both of those guys, Paolo Banchero's offensive upside and position fit make him a much better four than Jae'Sean Tate.

Even if you want to argue that the disparity between Ivey and Banchero is limited, a coin-flip is where it becomes a better plan to take the guy that is also the better fit.

Porter might not be the guy, but let's not start buying into the notion that the Rockets are going to pass on an obvious choice at with the third pick to replace him any time soon.

Want to write about the Rockets? Apply here!