While Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs, and Jalen Green appear to be the most likely options for the Houston Rockets at No. 2 in the 2021 NBA draft, even No. 1 frontrunner Cade Cunningham can’t be ruled out.
Per James L. Edwards III, Detroit’s beat writer for The Athletic, Mobley and Green will be heavily considered by the Pistons, as well. He writes:
While Cunningham has been the consensus No. 1 pick, it’s not a lock he’ll be the top choice. Sources tell The Athletic that Green and Mobley, too, will be in heavy consideration for the No. 1 pick. Green is a 19-year-old bucket-getter who had tremendous flashes playing in the G League this past season. Mobley is the “unicorn,” a 7-foot center with ball skills and an elite defensive skill set.
[General manager Troy] Weaver has over a month to figure out which direction he wants to go, and it’s apparent that he’s in no rush to make a decision. “There’s a lot of talented guys at the top,” said Weaver, who believes there should be five players considered for the top pick. “This is a draft that has a lot of talented guys. We’ll vet them all out and be ready to go.”
Cunningham, who played one season of college basketball at Oklahoma State, has long been the No. 1 frontrunner for a reason.
“There simply aren’t very many people on the planet who have the blend of size, shooting and passing that he can provide to an NBA team,” writes For The Win’s Bryan Kalbrosky, who mocks Cunningham at No. 1.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t appear to be a done deal just yet. For Houston general manager Rafael Stone, it’s yet another option to monitor after a very successful draft lottery.
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Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs, or Jalen Green? Examining top rookie options at No. 2
