Recent Rockets’ Draft Rumor Likely Takes This Prospect Off Jazz Radar

The Rockets are seemingly taking a ‘serious look’ at a certain player at 4th overall.

The NBA Finals have now come to a close, allowing all eyes around the league to focus on the highly anticipated 2023 draft. Now less than ten days until the day’s here, rumors continue to get hotter and hotter across the league. While we got a bombshell of The Athletic’s Shams Charania reporting the New Orleans Pelicans’ surprise interest in Scoot Henderson, another league rumor went unnoticed.

This time, the Houston Rockets continue to make headlines early into this offseason. With Houston being the large market it is, along with having most cap space in the entire league and the 4th overall pick, the Rockets could be in for a busy summer. However, when choosing a prospect with their selection in this year’s draft, Overtime Elite’s Amen Thompson could end as the selection.

From what I’ve heard, the Rockets will take a serious look at Amen Thompson with the fourth pick if they keep it. He’s considered one of the top defenders in this class, which Houston would welcome after having the second-worst defensive rating in the league last season (118.6).

- Michael Scotto on the Rockets’ draft approach, via

HoopsHype

.

A decision that’s a bit underwhelming to hear for Utah Jazz fans hopeful to see Amen slide to 9th overall. Unless the Jazz were intrigued in a trade-up with Houston, the chances of seeing Thompson in Salt Lake City are slim. Yes, seeing a 6’7 elite playmaking and defending guard in a Jazz jersey is great to dream about with the current structure of this team, but Amen likely won’t be the one to do it.

Similar players such as Anthony Black, or even his twin brother Ausar Thompson can fall down the board, but Amen seems to be the cream of the crop. Houston reportedly agrees, and it would show by their selection of him on June 22nd if things hold to form.

The Jazz, along with the rest of the league have a lot more work to do before that day comes. We’ll see how rumors develop down the rest of the board to get a better sense of how Utah will attack the draft in such a crucial year to do so.

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