How will Rockets use their lottery fortune to aid push past Warriors?
The Houston Rockets late-season rivalry with the Warriors turned out to be one of the silliest and most pointless fiasco's in recent memory. An 11-game winning-streak in March got Houston within touching distance of Golden State for a spot in the Play-In Tournament, with injured forward Tari Eason infamously delivering trash talk of which Draymond Green responded to on his podcast.
The Rockets quickly fell into a hole and out of Play-In contention, while the Warriors disastrously blew their chance of playoff action in a heavy defeat to the Sacramento Kings. Now, both teams will spend the offseason retooling in the hopes of becoming more relevant in the loaded Western Conference.
Houston's chances of that took a positive turn in Sunday's lottery when their pick from the Brooklyn Nets jumped six spots into the third overall selection. Do they keep it an add to their treasure trove of young talent, or do they look to trade the pick for an established piece that can help them take the next jump.
Having been vocal in their aspiration to upgrade the roster, don't be surprised if the Rockets dangle the pick as part of a package for a star. If that does eventuate, then they're likely to become a legitimate playoff contender with whom the Warriors will have to beat out. Houston appears set to pass Golden State at some point in the coming seasons, though they still don't have anyone the calibre of Stephen Curry.