Who to draft?

Let's go forward assuming Yao will not be back. What do the Rockets need most? A true NBA center, pure and simple. But there aren't any in this draft, certainly none that will be available by the 14th pick anyway. The Rockets have a fine corp of bigs that can serve well as backup centers, so why draft a mediocre project that may never see action? The Rockets need to acquire a center through free agency or a trade. Good luck with that, Daryl.

The next weakest link is small forward (see my review of Chase Budinger). As the last selection in the lottery, the best player available for Houston will be Jordan Hamilton, a scorer from the University of Texas. He can play either wing position, but at 6' 8", he is a natural shooting forward. He can put the ball in the hole, averaging almost 18 ppg last season and hitting .385 from the 3-point line. He can rebound well too, at 7.7 per game. Those numbers are almost double Budinger's stats, though obviously Hamilton's stats were in college. Jordan is a decent defender and ball-handler at best, but the talent is there for him to be a solid NBA player with a little coaching. Originally from southern California, his two year stint in Austin gives him a local flavor.

OK, that's my pick. Jordan Hamilton will make the Rockets a little bit better.