Rockets Gain Clarity On 2023 NBA Draft Picks Following Tiebreaker

Mix results at a random drawing has led to the Houston Rockets obtaining the No. 20 pick while winning a tiebreaker against the San Antonio Spurs.

HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets know where they stand ahead of the NBA Draft Lottery in May. Monday afternoon, the Rockets were one of several teams who received clarity on their draft status.

The Rockets finished the 2022-23 season tied with the San Antonio Spurs for the second-worst record at 22-60. But following the results of a random drawing held at the NBA’s league office, the Rockets came away victorious in determining the draft tiebreaker.

Houston will enter the lottery with a 14.0 percent chance to land the No. 1 overall pick and the rights to French phenom Victor Wembanyama. But should Houston fall short of the No. 1 pick, the Rockets cannot fall any further than the sixth selection in the first round. 

Houston also received transparency on its second pick in the first round via the rights to a pick swap with the Los Angeles Clippers. Los Angeles, who finished the season 44-38, was in a three-way tie with the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors. 

The Heat came away with the highest pick at No. 18, while the Warriors took the 19th selection. The Clippers fell into the No. 20th pick, which would go to the Rockets as the last piece of the three-team trade that sent Eric Gordon to Los Angeles in February.

Unless they draft Wembanyama with the top overall selection, general manager Rafael Stone said the Rockets are open to trading their first-round picks when revamping their roster ahead of the 2023-24 season.

A source told Inside the Rockets that Houston will explore the possibility of a trade should their pick fall outside of the Top-3. The Rockets have a 20 percent chance of falling to the No. 6 pick.

"I will consider trading picks for anything — it's my job," Stone said. "We will consider anything if it makes sense to where we are trying to go ultimately.

"We don’t necessarily have to draft at least both of the picks...Depending on who is available in the draft, trading those picks for future picks or veteran guys, all is on the table for us."

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You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24

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