With future first-round draft equity held via their own choices and assets from the Phoenix Suns, Brooklyn Nets, and Dallas Mavericks, the Houston Rockets are in a lucrative position.

Not only did the Rockets finish with the NBA’s fourth-best record (52-30) last season, but they also have the fourth-best inventory of future picks, according to September 2025 rankings from ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Jeremy Woo.

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That’s a unique combination, since most good teams rank near the bottom of future draft rankings. After all, many have had to cash in those types of assets on the trade market in order to land a team of such quality. Additionally, draft picks from winning franchises are often low in each year’s order, due to the projected strength of that team’s roster.

But under general manager Rafael Stone, Houston is in a rare position where it can potentially build a sustainable contender. That’s due in large part to an ability to continually supplement its team in place with talented young prospects, with many obtained via high selections from other teams that are struggling. One such example is when the Rockets drafted Reed Sheppard at No. 3 in 2024 using a pick obtained from Brooklyn.

Another option, of course, is the Kevin Durant template — i.e. using that asset stockpile to trade for a marquee veteran to further improve Houston’s roster. In June 2025, the Rockets acquired the 15-time NBA All-Star using a 2025 first-round pick from the Suns.

There is, however, one potential catch. ESPN’s Woo explains:

NBA teams’ current attitude toward the 2027 draft class can be characterized nicely as underwhelming. For as excited as front offices are about 2026, a major question mark hangs over the following year, with some executives viewing it as one of the weakest draft-eligible classes in some time, both from a domestic and international perspective. The American high school class is presently headlined by forward Tyran Stokes, who was the clear standout among his peers at the Nike Skills Academy, but will need to show improvement to solidify himself as a No. 1 pick-caliber prospect, even in what may be a comparatively thin draft.

NBA teams will be closely tracking how that group shapes up over the next 18 months and whether new players will emerge as potential blue-chip names. While the recurring “bad draft” label is always inherently flawed — sharp teams are generally able to find value no matter the strength of the player pool — that perception will hold some sway over how decision-makers operate with foresight. How perception affects the way teams, including the Rockets, choose to treat their 2027 draft picks, and how they are valued in trade discussions, could be an interesting subtext to this season’s transaction wheel.

The Rockets are currently in line to receive unprotected first-round assets from both the Nets and Suns in 2027 — and a weaker-than-normal draft pool could potentially reduce the value.

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Then again, there are still two full seasons to take place between now and the June 2027 draft, so there is plenty of time left for the projected strength of that class to change.

As things stand, Houston’s draft outlook beyond 2025 (per ESPN) features nine future first-round picks; only one outgoing selection (a top-four-protected pick to Oklahoma City in 2026); and four second-round choices. The second-round stockpile was reduced in the Durant deal.

According to ESPN’s list, the only three NBA teams with superior future draft outlooks are the Thunder (No. 1), the Nets (No. 2), and the Utah Jazz (No. 3). The latter two were among the league’s worst teams last season.

More: 2025 offseason update: Rockets’ NBA draft assets, protections through 2032

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This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Among 30 teams, ESPN ranks Rockets fourth in future NBA draft assets