Potential nightmare scenario unfolds for Rockets on NBA lottery night

The Houston Rockets have been extremely lucky over the last few years. They've had some exceedingly rough luck as well.

Luck is a fickle mistress. The Rockets were fortunate to keep their first in a series of lottery picks in the 2021 NBA Draft. If that pick had fallen out of the top 4, it would have been conveyed to the Thunder. It landed second. Arguably, the Rockets didn't make the most of their luck when they selected Jalen Green instead of Evan Mobley.

In 2023, the Rockets didn't strike the luck they'd hoped for. Victor Wembanyama was the big prize, and the Rockets missed out. That said, Amen Thompson is more than a consolation prize. He's exceeding the already lofty expectations of a fourth overall pick.

Last year, luck had a sense of humor. The Rockets' pick made a huge jump to third overall in what was widely perceived to be a weak draft. Time will tell whether Reed Sheppard justifies the third overall pick the Rockets used on him.

Let's talk about the present. The Rockets didn't have much luck in the 2025 draft. Their pick slipped a bit below its favored position to land 10th. The team that selected Victor Wembanyama two summers ago did get lucky:

That could be a disaster for the Rockets.

Rockets' rival gets lucky

Sure, the Mavericks also got lucky. They will roster Cooper Flagg.

That's problematic in its own right. Rockets fans were hoping to see Flagg head east. Instead, the Mavericks will be relevant again after a brief foray into irrelevance after trading Luka Doncic.

Yet, their work isn't done. The Mavericks need to put the right group around Flagg (and Anthony Davis). If anyone has questions about Nico Harrison's competency, well, let's just agree that those questions are justifiable.

By contrast, there's no reason to think the Spurs won't make the right decision.

They landed the number two pick in this draft. That means they'll get to pair Wembanyama with Dylan Harper.

Unless they choose a more terrifying direction.

Spurs get leg up in Antetokounmpo sweepstakes

Antetokounmpo has been linked to both the Rockets and the Spurs. Before the draft results, it seemed clear that the Rockets had a better offer for the Greek superstar. Now, the Spurs hold the potential key to acquiring him.

Did the Rockets want Antetokounmpo? It's debatable. All the messaging from the front office has indicated that they'll maintain continuity.

Still, we can safely assume they didn't want him to go to San Antonio.

Rockets fans don't need to hit the panic button. Antetokounmpo is 30 - he won't be a dominant force forever. If the Spurs acquire him, they'll eventually need to reset their timeline around Wembanyama.

Moreover, the NBA is wildly unpredictable. Perhaps the Spurs would prefer a more gradual team-building approach as well. Perhaps the Rockets will be greater than the sum of their parts. The team is in a good position, and the order of the draft does not change that.

You just wish they'd had better luck.