Rafael Stone discusses possible trades for No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft

Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone believes the team will maintain its No. 3 choice in next month's NBA draft rather than trade it as per reports. Stone said the team will most likely prefer the player available at No. 3 over potential trade choices, but "it's always possible" that another team may make a high offer for a player they want at No. 3.

Following Sunday's NBA draft lottery, the Rockets have a top-five pick for the fourth year in a row. The Atlanta Hawks hold the first pick, while the Washington Wizards have the second pick.

Houston Rockets should have plenty of good choices for No. 3. While this year's class may not be as strong as the 2023 class, which featured players such as Victor Wembanyama and Brandon Miller, there are still a few potential standouts.

Jalen Green, one of the Rockets' rising talents, came up via the NBA's G League Ignite, and Houston might discover another Ignite standout in this selection.  Ignite forward Ron Holland is regarded as the top talent in this year's class, and he might very well be the Rockets' No. 3 pick. Holland, 18, averaged 20.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and is a strong candidate to be one of the first players off the board.

Houston Rockets return to prominence

In the collegiate levels, Kentucky's Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham might be good draft picks for the Rockets, or they could opt for a big guy like Donovan Clingan from UConn. Top European players like as Nikola Topic, Alex Sarr, and Zaccharie Risacher are excellent alternatives for Houston at No. 3.

Houston hopes to grab a future star with the No. 3 selection to help turn things around after missing the playoffs the previous four years. The Rockets improved in 2023, improving their victory total from 22 to 41, but there is still much work to be done. Picking up a star in the draft would aid their ambition to return to prominence.