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2026 NBA mock drafts: Houston’s latest second-round projections
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- 2026 NBA mock drafts: Houston’s latest second-round projections
2026 NBA mock drafts: Houston’s latest second-round projections
As things stand, the Rockets aren't slated to have a first-round pick in the upcoming 2026 NBA draft , which takes place on June 23 and 24.
That selection is owned by Oklahoma City as the final piece of the ill-fated July 2019 trade involving Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook.
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But the Rockets do own a pair of 2026 second-round selections at No. 39 (via Chicago) and No. 53, overall. The latter is based on Houston's 52-30 record in the 2025-26 regular season.
For general manager Rafael Stone, it's the first immediate opportunity of the 2026 offseason to upgrade a team that finished with matching regular-season records and disappointing first-round playoff exits in each of the past two years.
And while second-round selections aren't as likely to become long-term success stories, relative to their first-round counterparts, it's certainly possible.
Just look at the aforementioned Thunder, who are on the verge of yet another Western Conference finals appearance amid a strong performance from Ajay Mitchell — drafted at No. 38 overall in the 2024 second round.
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So, who might Stone and the Rockets add to their depth chart ? Via the latest wave of mock drafts, published after Sunday's draft lottery, here is a look at various possibilities for each slot.
Mocked Selections at No. 39
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ESPN : Matt Able, 6-foot-6 guard/forward, North Carolina State, 18 years old ( statistics )
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Yahoo! Sports : Malachi Moreno, 7-foot-0 center, Kentucky, 19 years old ( statistics )
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The Athletic : Braden Smith, 6-foot-0 point guard, Purdue, 22 years old ( statistics )
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ClutchPoints : Ryan Conwell, 6-foot-4 guard, Louisville, 21 years old ( statistics )
Mocked Selections at No. 53
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ESPN : Andrej Stojakovic, 6-foot-6 guard/forward, Illinois, 21 years old ( statistics )
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Yahoo! Sports : Baba Miller, 6-foot-11 forward/center, Cincinnati, 22 years old ( statistics )
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The Athletic : Tobi Lawal, 6-foot-8 forward, Virginia Tech, 23 years old ( sta t istics )
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ClutchPoints : Baba Miller, 6-foot-11 forward/center, Cincinnati, 22 years old ( statistics )
Additional scouting information on many of these players is available via the latest 2026 NBA draft big board (top 60 prospects) from Yahoo! Sports .
Player data from this week's ongoing 2026 draft combine is available at NBA.com .
More: With hindsight, the 2024 Rockets-Nets draft deal is aging well for Houston
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: 2026 NBA mock drafts: Houston's latest second-round projections
