Rockets NBA Lottery Day - First Time In A While

This is a new experience for our younger Rockets fans. The Rockets are not only picking in the lottery (maybe!) they might be picking in the top five.

The last time the Rockets picked in the lottery was 2012, when they chose Jeremy Lamb (1-12). Some may remember Lamb playing on a fun VSL Rockets team, but he never played an NBA minute for the Rockets. He was part of a trade just before that season began for...James Harden.

The last lottery Rockets draft pick to play a minute for the Rockets? Marcus Morris, drafted 1-14 in 2011.

The last time the Rockets picked in the top five? 2002. They drafted Yao Ming 1-1.

All this to say, the Rockets haven’t dwelt in the lottery, or in possible top pick land in a very long time. No, the Rockets have been decent to excellent over those years. Maybe it was ok not to trust the process after all?

A Rockets fan born when Yao Ming was drafted is just about 19 years old now. It seems safe to say nearly a generation has grown up without the Rockets getting a high draft pick.

They might now even get one. They only have a 52% chance of keeping their pick - because it was traded to OKC for Russell Westbrook with Top 5 protection. (Really, Daryl, couldn’t have gotten lottery protection on it? That deal wasn’t enough of a daylight robbery?)

Anyhow, it’s going to be a tense night and day for Rockets fans who suffered through the worst Rockets season in a Very Long Time. The last Rockets season that was this bad? 1982-83 at 14-68. Almost 40 years. The season that brought the Rockets Yao was 28 wins. Bad, but not like 82-83 or 20-21.

Anyhow, the NBA draft lottery will be at 7:30 PM CDT tomorrow.

Stay strong. Hope for luck, the Rockets need it. Or the mysterious force of the NBA Your Team Lost A Franchise Player Pity Pick.

This is a place to talk about it all, all day, into the night. A night we hope is full of hope and optimism.