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Houston Rockets: 5 players to avoid in the 2017 NBA Draft
Houston Rockets
January 5, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; California Golden Bears forward Ivan Rabb (1) shoots a basket against the UCLA Bruins during the first half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The Houston Rockets have a plethora of talented players they can choose from in this deep draft. However, here are five they must stay away from.
The Houston Rockets hold the No. 43 and 45 picks in the 2017 NBA Draft. Even though they don't have a first-rounder, that isn't a bad spot to be. This year is thought of as being one of the deeper drafts in recent memory, so the Rockets should hope to find a contributor from one of those selections.
The second round is typically known for three types of players.
First, upperclassmen who have had very successful careers in college but don't have the physical traits necessary to carry that success to the next level.
Secondly, lower classmen who have some raw and physical athletic ability but weren't able to put it together in college on a consistent basis. If everything goes right for them, they could have some significant upside.
Finally, foreign prospects who are still relatively unknown. Scouts haven't been able to get all the information about their game or struggle to identify the type of competition they're playing against. It's also unknown when or if they will come to the NBA.
We've already covered who the Rockets should look at with the 43rd and 45th picks. Now, let's dive into five players they should avoid like a metaphorical plague. These players are either guys who don't project well at the NBA level or who wouldn't make sense with Houston based on the way they play and the shots they hunt for.
The Rockets have a good thing going for them and can't afford to take any steps back. Because of that, Houston should stay away from these dudes.
5. Mathias Lessort, PF/C, France
Mathias Lessort is an almost 22-year-old undersized big man who can't shoot the basketball. What else do you want to know?
He stands at 6'9″ and is known for his defensive and athletic ability. Lessort should be grateful he has his elite athletic ability, because he does not possess very many other tangible skills.
Due to his lack of shooting, the Frenchman primarily plays the center position. We've seen a few smaller bigs have success in the NBA, but Lessort will not be one of them.
Given his lack of height and wingspan, he struggles to grab defensive rebounds. This is a huge issue for the Rockets because they like to go small and rely heavily on their lone big man to grab those boards. If its big man isn't able to grab defensive rebounds, Houston will struggle mightily to stop its opponent from scoring.
Lessort is supposed to have defense as his calling card. However, he is extremely undisciplined and will bite at any halfway decent pump fake. This leads to a lot of unnecessary fouls and free shots from the charity stripe.
On offense, he can't dribble, pass or shoot the basketball. That makes him an extreme liability for this record-setting Rockets offense.
With Houston looking to chase the coattails of the Warriors, they should stay far, far away from Mathias Lessort.
Feb 21, 2017; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Clemson Tigers forward Jaron Blossomgame (5) looks to pass while being defended by Virginia Tech Hokies guard Justin Bibbs (10) in the second half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Michael Shroyer-USA TODAY Sports
4. Jaron Blossomgame, SF/PF, Clemson
Nobody can say Jaron Blossomgame isn't a dedicated and hard worker. Unfortunately, that hard work hasn't paid huge dividends.
Blossomgame is a 6'7″ wing who is one of the oldest prospects in this draft at 24 years old. I note that because that scares a lot of teams away due to his perceived inability to continue to improve. Remember a couple years ago when Frank Kaminsky's draft stock was falling because he played four years at Wisconsin? Well, Kaminsky was about two years younger than Blossomgame is now.
The least attractive part of Blossomgame's play from the Rockets' standpoint is his inability to be an outside threat. He shot only 25.5 percent from downtown last year and it's questionable whether or not he can make the necessary improvements in that area.
According to The Ringer's Draft Guide, Blossomgame has inconsistent mechanics on his shot, resulting in an alarming amount of bad misses and airballs. The best shooters can easily replicate their form time and time again. It appears that Blossomgame is far from matching this consistency.
He also struggles to handle and pass the ball. So if he can't shoot, pass or dribble, what can he do on offense? It's a great question, and I wish I had the answer.
Defensively, he would provide a nice boost for Houston. He can guard multiple positions, including both forward positions. That would be helpful as the Rockets can always use premier perimeter defenders.
Unfortunately, his defensive ability doesn't out way his lack of competence on the offensive end, meaning the Rockets should consider him untouchable.
Mar 26, 2017; New York, NY, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard PJ Dozier (15) shoots the ball against Florida Gators guard Chris Chiozza (11) during the first half in the finals of the East Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
3. P.J. Dozier, SG, South Carolina
P.J. Dozier is younger than the two guys ahead of him on this list, but that doesn't mean the Rockets should consider him any more.
Dozier appearing on this list ensures that we have had one player in each of the three second-round categories so far. He's a sophomore guard out of South Carolina who could probably benefit from staying in college for another season or two.
Dozier's biggest offensive weakness is what makes him very unattractive to the Rockets' brass. He only shot 28.5 percent from the three-point line on a whopping 137 attempts last year. This lack of shooting would severely limit Dozier's effectiveness in the Rockets' offense.
He also shot below 60 percent from the free throw line, which is typically an indicator of future struggles from a shooting standpoint. This inefficient shooting from key spots on the floor is what has scared a lot of scouts away and why Dozier is projected to go in the second-round.
Dozier is a good athlete with good athleticism and measurements. He is 6'7″ and has a 6'11" wingspan. These two attributes combined give him the potential to be a defensive stopper at the NBA level. However, his fundamentals will need to improve considerably if that is to happen.
Even with his defensive potential, Houston cannot ignore his awful shooting percentages. Part of what made the Rockets so successful last year was their ability to spread the floor and allow James Harden space to create for himself or his teammates. With someone like Dozier on the floor, that plan would not be a possibility.
Feb 23, 2017; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes forward Tory Miller (14) fouls a scoring play by Utah Utes forward Kyle Kuzma (35) in the second half at the Coors Events Center. The Utes defeated the Buffaloes 86-81. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
2. Kyle Kuzma, PF, Colorado
Kyle Kuzma, the junior forward out of Utah, is supposed to have potential as a 3-and-D type player. Only there's one problem (okay, two problems): Both his defense and his outside shooting are suspect.
Kuzma only shot 32.1 percent from the three-point line last season and 30.2 percent throughout his college career. He seems to be able to make shots at the top of the key, but not anywhere else outside the three-point line.
For Kuzma, it doesn't matter if he is catching and shooting or shooting off the dribble, he just isn't efficient. Although, he's probably worse shooting off the dribble than anything else.
He struggles with his mechanics on defense, which makes it difficult for him to slide his feet and stay in front of his man. He's also not always where he should be when playing off-ball defense. This makes it difficult for him to recover to his man and keep him from scoring.
His average athleticism can pose problems for him as well. Given that he doesn't have the fundamentals to rely on, he can't trust his athleticism to carry him either.
Kuzma does have long arms with a seven-foot wingspan, which means that if he can correct his defensive fundamentals, he could really become a force on that end. Just, you know, for another team.
Miami Heat
Feb 2, 2017; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears forward Ivan Rabb (1) reacts after a play by the Utah Utes during the second overtime period at Haas Pavilion. The California Golden Bears defeated the Utah Utes 77-75 in double overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
1. Ivan Rabb, PF/C, California
Ivan Rabb is perhaps the best-known prospect on this list. He was supposed to be a first-rounder going into college two seasons ago but has disappointed ever since.
He did make improvements last season, though, as he averaged 14 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, both of which were career-highs.
If everything falls into place for Rabb, he could make a great small-ball center for an NBA team someday. However, let's hope the Rockets aren't the team that tries to make it happen.
Rabb may have some athleticism but it doesn't translate into overly positive results for the big man. Even though he stands 6'10" with a 7'2″ wingspan, Rabb is not a shot-blocking presence. He doesn't strike fear into the heart of his opponent as they know they can drive to the rim with little resistance from Rabb.
This is mostly due to the lack of jumping explosion and strength that Rabb has. He is very lean and is only listed at 215 pounds. That's the same weight Kevin Durant was when he came into the league all those years ago.
Rabb could fit the role as the big man in the Rockets' offense and rely on pick-and-rolls and basket cuts to get his points. His potential to be anything more than that, unfortunately, isn't there.
He will likely get bullied down low on both ends of the floor and be unable to set adequate screens. He's also a defensive liability and isn't the last line of defense Houston is looking for from their big man.
All in all, if Daryl Morey is smart, which we know he is, he will cross these five players off his prospect list.
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