NBA Rumors: Yet Another Team Puts Top Lottery Pick On Trade Block

Every team other than the San Antonio Spurs were massively disappointed that they didn't win the NBA's Draft Lottery on Tuesday night. One team that was a co-favorite to nab the No. 1 pick, the Houston Rockets, dropped to No. 4, and now are seen as likely to be ready to trade that pick for proven NBA talent.

The Rockets could trade the No. 4 pick, per @MikeAScotto

“With Houston preparing to make an aggessive push to sign James Harden this summer, rival NBA executives believe this pick will be used as trade bait as the Rockets look to take a significant step forward next season.” pic.twitter.com/eqWkRLML4t
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) May 17, 2023

“With Houston preparing to make an aggressive push to sign James Harden this summer," writes NBA Insider Michael A. Scotto of Hoops Hype, "rival NBA executives believe this pick will be used as trade bait as the Rockets look to take a significant step forward next season.”

Houston becomes the third team to already be considering trading a Top 5 pick in next month's draft; the Portland Trail Blazers are looking to add win-now talent next to Damian Lillard, and are thought to be looking to trade the No. 3 pick to do it. And Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver said they would “turn over every rock” to explore trades for their pick, which dropped to No. 5 despite having the favored odds to get No. 1.

And while the Rockets were disappointed to come up short in the lottery, the upcoming unanimous top pick in the draft, generational talent Victor Wembanyama was caught on camera during the televised lottery seemingly thrilled that he wouldn't be going to Houston: