[Iko] I heard they (Rockets) believe that the gap between Amen and Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller is actually not as large as people might assume it’s going to be. But I’m comfortable saying they have Amen Thompson in a class above the rest of the guys you would consider in that next tier

Full transcription of the interview between Michael Scotto of HoopsHype and Kelly Iko

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>**Scotto:** If the Rockets keep the fourth pick, there are a few candidates to [**keep an eye on**](https://hoopshype.com/lists/2023-nba-mock-draft-trade-talks-dereck-lively-bilal-coulibaly-brandin-podziemski/) at that spot, including **Amen Thompson**, **Ausar Thompson**, and **Cam Whitmore**. From what I’ve heard, the Rockets will take a serious look at **Amen Thompson** with the fourth pick if they keep it. He’s considered one of the top defenders in this class, which Houston would welcome after having the second-worst defensive rating in the league last season (118.6).
>
>Houston has a mandate to improve the team going into next season after several rebuilding years, and they have a boatload of cap space to spend this summer. They’ll pursue a lot of free agents. They’ll certainly engage in trading this pick if it makes sense for them, and there’s a win-now guy that makes sense.
>
>**Iko:** If Houston stays at four, the best way to operate is taking the best player available. Right now, the name you hear most frequently is **Amen Thompson**. I’ve heard they believe that the gap between Amen and **Scoot Henderson** and **Brandon Miller** is actually not as large as people might assume it’s going to be. They think it’s quite minimal because when you look at Amen in a vacuum as a 6-foot-7 athlete who can jump out of the gym as an aggressive defender and a quality playmaker, with the ability to mesh with **Jalen Green** and **Kevin Porter Jr.** The shooting concerns are real, but looking at it from a prospect standpoint alone, there’s a reason why you hear his name the most frequently. You still have to consider his brother, Ausar, and Whitmore, because of how talented they are as individual prospects. But I’m comfortable saying they have **Amen Thompson** in a class above the rest of the guys you’d consider in that next tier of draft prospects.
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>**Scotto:** Could you see them trading that fourth pick for a guy like **Pascal Siakam** or another win-now type of player?
>
>**Iko:** The problem with trying to find a trade is whoever you trade the No. 4 pick for is someone you’d have to be OK with taking up a big chunk of your cap space. It has to also be somebody worth sacrificing the potential of the No. 4 pick. If you were to trade No. 4 for a guy like Siakam, does he move the needle enough to where you add **James Harden** are you cooking with gas? … Is there a trade out there that makes sense? It’s pretty difficult.

Source: [https://hoopshype.com/lists/rockets-rumors-james-harden-kyrie-irving-brook-lopez-austin-reaves-cam-johnson/](https://hoopshype.com/lists/rockets-rumors-james-harden-kyrie-irving-brook-lopez-austin-reaves-cam-johnson/)

by Few_Mulberry5372