With the second pick in the 2021 NBA Draft on Thursday, the Rockets will select a player they hope will anchor their franchise for at least the next decade. It's a pick they're fortunate to still hold (due to the swap rights owned by the Oklahoma City Thunder as a result of the ill-fated Chris Paul-Russell Westbrook trade). Instead, through a rare dose of good fortune, the Rockets can welcome the foundational piece who will usher them into the team’s next era.
Of course, it has been more than 10 years since the franchise last embarked on a rebuild.