With the 2017 NBA Draft in the rear view mirror, let’s take a step back and evaluate the Houston Rockets’ selection of Isaiah Hartenstein.

The Houston Rockets had to wait several hours before making their first (and what turned out to be their only) selection in the 2017 NBA Draft. After trading their first round pick to the Los Angeles Lakers for Lou Williams, the Rockets were once again looking to find a gem in the second round.

Will Isaiah Hartenstein be that gem Daryl Morey is always looking for in the second round? Only time will tell. What we do know is that Hartenstein is a 7’0″ big man who fell in the draft but has tremendous upside.

Sure, Hartenstein comes with big risks, but what player drafted in the second round doesn’t? When it comes down to it, given the Rockets’ current situation in the NBA landscape and their upcoming free agency plans, Hartenstein was a good pick for Houston in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Let’s dive in to specific reasons Hartenstein was a good pick for the Rockets both in the short run and long run, since that is what the draft is all about (especially for a contending team like the Rockets).