Ranking the "Core 6" Rockets prospects

A completely subjective exercise

The purpose of today’s exercise is to gauge which Rockets prospects have the highest NBA upsides as of June 2024. Those last eight words are important: “highest NBA upsides as of June 2024”. We’re not ranking their current abilities, but their potential ceilings. These rankings could look foolish as soon as December or next May.

An exercise like this helps us understand which young talent the organization should prioritize and which they should be willing to set aside if it comes to that. In a second apron environment, Houston will have to make tough calls and be prudent as an organization when building this team out. Look no further than the 2011 Oklahoma City Thunder. While it may not quite be as informal, I’d imagine the Rockets have started prioritizing prospects themselves as they enter extension negotiations with Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun this summer.

It may be worth thinking of this as a draft of Rockets talent. While I’m attempting to be as objective as possible, I have my biases and preferences. The same is true of all talent evaluator in any normal draft. I also believe that Rafael Stone has done an excellent job assembling this young talent. Ranking someone lower on this list does not mean that I’m low on their talent or that I don’t believe in their potential.

Someone’s just got to be first and someone’s got to be last.

Tier 1: Potential #1 guys

1. Alperen Sengun

This likely comes as no surprise to most of you, but I’ve been very consistent in believing Alperen Şengün has flashed the most potential of Houston’s young core. He’s the most likely anchor for whatever future the Rockets seek to build out. The only things Sengun fails to do at an elite level is defend and shoot 3s. He’s got unbelievable craft and basketball IQ that makes up for his average positional size and athleticism.

At just age 22, Sengun looks like a complete offensive basketball player.

The biggest factors in his way right now are youth and inexperience. It took a while for Houston to come to terms with his talent as an organization. However, successful partnerships with Ime Udoka and Fred VanVleet made Sengun an undeniable force this season. It forced the Rockets into reevaluating their preconceived notions of his potential.

He’s just the best prospect on the team and there’s only one player that comes close.