Rockets NBA Draft odds for the third overall pick

The NBA Finals are in full swing, and we all know what that means:

It’s time to think about the NBA Draft.

OK, fine. That’s not true for everyone, but for diehard fans of lottery teams, it’s hard not to look at the incoming draft class, watch the Finals, and ask yourself “Which of these guys can get us there?”

With the Rockets selecting third, they’ll have plenty of options. If you’re reading this, chances are you know that most observers have Paolo Banchero pegged as the presumptive favorite to suit up in Rockets Red next season.

If you didn't, you probably stumbled onto our page looking for a website that tells you how to minimize your nightmares. Our apologies, it happens.

Banchero may look like the likely choice for the Rockets, but what do the betting odds say? Luckily, our friends at DraftKings have got the answers your looking for.

According to them, the odds of being selected first overall among remotely realistic candidates are as follows (get your full odds here):

Jabari Smith Jr.: -275

Chet Holmgren: +190

Paolo Banchero: +1500

Jaden Ivey: +10000

Shaedon Sharpe: +10000

At number two overall, the odds are:

Chet Holmgren: -275

Jabari Smith Jr.: +275

Paolo Banchero: +400

Jaden Ivey: +3000

Shaedon Sharpe: +6000

Keegan Murray: +10000

Finally, here’s how the odds look at Houston’s third overall spot:

Paolo Banchero: -500

Chet Holmgren: +700

Jaden Ivey: +750

Keegan Murray: +10000

Benedict Mathurin: +20000

As you can see, DraftKings agrees with the consensus: Banchero is likely to be a Rocket. With that said, for the responsible gambler, there are some interesting wagers to be made here.

Thunder General Manager Sam Presti is definitely a wild card. If you’ve got the risk appetite, a bet on Jaden Ivey going second overall could be worth your time. A $100 wager would pay out $3,100.

If you like those odds, you might want to consider a bet on Chet Holmgren to Houston. After all, the probability of Banchero landing there partly bakes Holmgren-to-OKC into itself as an inevitability. Betting $100 on Holmgren at third gets you an $800 payout.

Finally, if you’re feeling particularly frisky, bet on Shaedon Sharpe heading to the Thunder with the second pick. It’s improbable, but that’s what makes it a longshot bet. A $100 bet gets you a whopping $6,100 in the unlikely event that you win.

Of course, if you’re the safer type, bet on Banchero to the Rockets. Betting $100 gets you a payout of $120 if you win.

If that sounds like a lot of effort to make $20, we’re not going to argue.

Check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.