Updated May 11, 2026, 8:00 p.m. CT

As things stand, the Rockets aren’t slated to have a first-round pick in the upcoming 2026 NBA draft, which takes place on June 23 and 24.

That selection is owned by Oklahoma City as the final piece of the ill-fated July 2019 trade involving Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook.

But the Rockets do own a pair of 2026 second-round selections at No. 39 (via Chicago) and No. 53, overall. The latter is based on Houston’s 52-30 record in the 2025-26 regular season.

For general manager Rafael Stone, it’s the first immediate opportunity of the 2026 offseason to upgrade a team that finished with matching regular-season records and disappointing first-round playoff exits in each of the past two years.

And while second-round selections aren’t as likely to become long-term success stories, relative to their first-round counterparts, it’s certainly possible.

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Just look at the aforementioned Thunder, who are on the verge of yet another Western Conference finals appearance amid a strong performance from Ajay Mitchell — drafted at No. 38 overall in the 2024 second round.

So, who might Stone and the Rockets add to their depth chart? Via the latest wave of mock drafts, published after Sunday’s draft lottery, here is a look at various possibilities for each slot.

Mocked Selections at No. 39ESPN: Matt Able, 6-foot-6 guard/forward, North Carolina State, 18 years old (statistics)Yahoo! Sports: Malachi Moreno, 7-foot-0 center, Kentucky, 19 years old (statistics)The Athletic: Braden Smith, 6-foot-0 point guard, Purdue, 22 years old (statistics)ClutchPoints: Ryan Conwell, 6-foot-4 guard, Louisville, 21 years old (statistics)Mocked Selections at No. 53ESPN: Andrej Stojakovic, 6-foot-6 guard/forward, Illinois, 21 years old (statistics)Yahoo! Sports: Baba Miller, 6-foot-11 forward/center, Cincinnati, 22 years old (statistics)The Athletic: Tobi Lawal, 6-foot-8 forward, Virginia Tech, 23 years old (statistics)ClutchPoints: Baba Miller, 6-foot-11 forward/center, Cincinnati, 22 years old (statistics)

Additional scouting information on many of these players is available via the latest 2026 NBA draft big board (top 60 prospects) from Yahoo! Sports.

Player data from this week’s ongoing 2026 draft combine is available at NBA.com.

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