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The 2021 NBA Draft is now less than a week away, which means it’s time for trade rumors to start heating up. Draft night is one of the busiest nights of the entire NBA calendar, and there’s always plenty of activity as teams look to improve their rosters for either the present or the future.
This year should be no different. There are plenty of stars who could be on the move, including Bradley Beal and Ben Simmons, and the top of the draft is as talented as it has been in a long time. The Detroit Pistons currently hold the No. 1 pick, and are expected to take Cade Cunningham.
However, the guard out of Oklahoma State has plenty of admirers, and teams will try to pry that pick away from the Pistons. One such team is the Houston Rockets, according to Shams Charania of Stadium. The Rockets currently have the No. 2 overall pick.
The Houston Rockets have the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, but I’m told they’re aggressively pursuing Detroit’s No. 1 overall pick. The Rockets have done extensive research on presumptive No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham. That’s the player they would target if they are able to land the No. 1 overall pick. As of now the Rockets have the No. 2 pick and they’re doing research to see if they can move up to No. 1, or what possibilities they have at No. 2.
It’s not surprising at all that the Rockets would be interested in Cunningham. A 6-foot-8 guard who can pass, shoot and run an offense, Cunningham is one of the best prospects to enter the league in years. In theory, he’s the type of player who could turn your franchise around.
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The problem is all of those positive traits will make it extremely difficult to convince the Pistons to give up the No. 1 pick. Houston does have the No. 2 pick and two more first-round picks (Nos. 23 and 24) in this year’s draft, but their roster is pretty depleted in terms of interesting young players a rebuilding Pistons team might want.
Right now you would have to bet on the Pistons keeping the first pick, but this is at least something to keep an eye on over the next few days. The good news for the Rockets is that if they stay at No. 2, they’ll be able to get a great player. In particular, they seem to have their eyes on Jalen Green, according to The Athletic.