In 2021, 2022 and 2023, there were rumors that the Rockets wanted to trade their own first-round pick.
The Rockets' own first-round pick in 2024 is in the hands of the Thunder, and the Nets' first-round pick is considered a trade chip.
Rockets general manager S has said in interviews for the past three years that he will evaluate the possibility of a trade, but fans have also seen the end result, bringing Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson back to Houston.
So that doesn't completely rule out the possibility that Stone will retain the draft pick, especially after the Rockets drew the No. 3 pick.
ESPN, a well-known sports media in the United States, updated its rookie list after the draw, predicting that the Rockets will use the No. 3 pick to select Reed Shepherd, who is considered a younger version of DiVincenzo.
DiVincenzo is not a star, and his popularity is obviously not comparable to that of defenders like Mitchell and Murray. However, DiVincenzo's characteristics should be what Udoka likes, and he meets the requirements of the Rockets.
The 27-year-old DiVincenzo, who is 1.93 meters tall, averaged 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.9 steals and 1 block per game in the playoffs this season, and threw in 3.3 three-pointers while shooting 41.5% from the field, 42.9% from three-point range and 94.1% from the free throw line.
DiVincenzo can be a regular under Thibodeau, and his defense will naturally be no problem. DiVincenzo's three-point shooting is an important offensive weapon for the Knicks. When he doesn't have a good hand, it's hard for the Knicks to win.
Udoka is also a head coach who takes defense very seriously, and he asks his players to shoot more three-pointers. DiVincenzo, who can defend and shoot three-pointers, and has a good quotient, does look like Udoka's dish.
Some NBA scouts have compared Reed Shepard to DiVincenzo, and another American sports outlet, The Bleachers, had previously predicted that the Rockets would pick Shepherd.
Reed Shepherd, born in 2004, is 1.91 meters tall, is a two-way guard, and his best performance this season is 32 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks in a single game, shooting 11-of-14. He played 33 times for the University of Kentucky, averaging 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 0.7 blocks in 29 minutes per game while shooting 53.6% from the field, 52.1% from three-point range and 83.1% from the free throw line.
Although 2024 is a small year for the draft, Reed Shepard is not the favorite for the top pick, because his athleticism is mediocre, his explosiveness is lacking, and his ball-handling ability is not top-notch.
However, Reed Shepard also has a lot of advantages, which also led ESPN's draft experts to put him in the top three.
From the statistics, it can be seen that Reed Shepard has excellent shooting ability, passing ability, and is good at stealing.
Reed Shepherd has an elite-caliber three-point shot and a good ball quotient, reads the game, finds opportunities to interfere with opposing shots, disrupts opposing passing lanes, and has a presence on both ends of the floor.
Udoka seems to like a small guard with mediocre talent, having given Pritchard a chance when he was in the Green Army. Udoka once praised Pritchard: "He's clearly one of our best goalscorers and always has been. Some fans also said that they saw Pritchard's shadow in Reed Shepard.
There are also fans who think Shepard is a bit like Van Jordan, who lacks breakthrough ability but can throw three points, and is very active defensively. Van Jordan is Udoka's favorite, and he got a big contract from the Rockets.
There are already people in the Rockets jersey for Reed Shepard P.
Of course, there are also Rockets fans who worry that Reed Shepard's inability to adapt to the rhythm and physical confrontation of the NBA will become a parallel commodity.
In 2022, Rockets general manager Stone once chose a 1.91-meter-tall Kitucky University guard named Tytay Washington, who was later sent away after only one year.