The latest simulation draft: Rockets beat Duke shooter with the 9th pick! It is not difficult to adapt to Amen, and it is not difficult to enter the rotation

On the morning of May 13, the NBA draft lottery ceremony will officially begin. The Rockets have a first-round pick from the Suns, so they have a full chance to use this first-round pick on their own. When the Rockets drew the lottery last season, they were very lucky and directly drew the No. 3 draw. Then, Rockets general manager Raphael Stone selected scorer Shepard from the University of Kentucky in this precious pick. Now, the Rockets will enter the draft lottery again, hoping that they can continue their good luck.

Since the Suns ranked 11th in the Western Conference last season, it is expected that the corresponding pick will be the ninth pick in the first round, but the specific situation still has variables. After all, if the Rockets are lucky enough, there is still a very small chance of winning the No. 1 pick. This draft is a year of the draft, with superstars like Flag emerging. According to statistics, the probability of the Rockets drawing the No. 1 pick is 3.8%, and the probability of drawing the top four picks reaches 17.3%.

In addition to this first-round pick, the Rockets also have their own second-round draft pick. Of course, this first-round pick is undoubtedly more valuable. The Rockets can either use it to win a rookie by themselves; or they can directly trade this first-round draft pick before the draft to exchange for some star or combat-oriented players, thereby enhancing the Rockets' lineup depth. It is said that the Rockets want to chase a superstar, so this first-round pick from the Suns is crucial.

If the Rockets decide to stay and use this draft pick, there should be a rough goal. For example, take a shot or ball handler, take a shot or ball handler. After all, the reason why the Rockets were eliminated by the Warriors this season's playoffs is not that they are not defensive or that there are problems in the interior, but that the outside scorers performed poorly, especially the starting shooting guard Jaylen Green.

NBA draft expert Jonathan Givoni predicts that the Rockets can use their first-round draft pick to win shotgun Kniper from Duke University. Although this young white shooter has no NBA experience, he has strong outside shooting ability, good game awareness, and tough play style, and his performance is very mature. He can integrate into the Rockets' rotation lineup faster than other rookies in the same ranking.

When Jaylen Green becomes a full free agent in 2027, he may leave the Rockets. At that time, the Rockets' backcourt may be partnered by Amen Thompson and Shepard, and Kniper, who shot extremely accurately in three-pointers, can cooperate with Amen and Shepard. He is Amen Thompson's best backcourt partner, after all, his three-point shooting ability is something Amen Thompson does not have.

So, draft expert Jonathan Givoni believes that the Rockets will use this first-round No. 9 draw to win Kniper in the draft. After all, the Rockets need a striker who can shoot and attack the most. Knipel is generally seen as a template for Lakers freshman Kneckett. Therefore, this shooter from Duke University is still very suitable for the Rockets, and it depends on whether the Rockets are willing to choose him at that time.