A name that doesn't often slip to the Rockets at No. 14 anymore is San Diego State small forward Kawhi Leonard. While players like Chris Singleton, Tobias Harris, and Tyler Honeycutt often wind up available for Houston, Leonard usually goes in the Top 10 picks. Not this time though, as Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com mocks Leonard to the Rockets:
No other successful college player generates such disagreement. One team rated Leonard the 18th-best player in the draft after San Diego State was eliminated from the tournament, a strong statement even if he moved up since by attrition when several likely lottery picks stayed in school. Another executive, though he had not done his club's mock draft yet, said he wouldn't take Leonard in the mid-teens, the cost of not being a standout shooter or a plus-athlete. And now he could become a central figure in the selection process.
Howard-Cooper hands the Rockets troubled big man Jeremy Tyler at No. 23 overall:
Houston Rockets | Jeremy Tyler | C | Tokyo Apache
Houston can go center here. Once considered a major prospect coming out of high school in San Diego, he is working to reclaim that level of respect after disappointments as a pro in Israel and Japan.
Leonard would definitely be an interesting fit, although with the lack of touch you do kind of get a Darius Miles feel from him, which means he may be best remembered for starring in The Perfect Score II. Regardless, take a look at how huge his hands are!