In my last article, we discussed the possibility of the Rockets drafting Reed Sheppard as well as his strengths and weaknesses. With the possibility of Atlanta drafting Donovan Clingan number one and the Rockets trading up to the second overall pick, Alexandre Sarr could be a potential long-term fit in the Rockets frontcourt. Looking at Sarr’s physicals at the draft combine, he stands at 7′ tall without shoes and has a 7’4″ wingspan that could help the Rockets’ defensive versatility. Sarr also has a 37″ vertical leap, which ranks him as the fifth highest jump out of the centers in this draft class. Sarr is an intriguing prospect who has the ability to help the Rockets go into playoff contention.

Offensive and Defensive Breakdown of Alexandre Sarr

Sarr is known to be a defensive anchor by every scout in the league. Not only does he have elite rim protection, but he is also able to switch on the perimeter and play solid defense on whoever he is guarding. His 7’4″ wingspan allows him to pin a defenders shot off the backboard if they blow by him. Defensively, he reminds a couple of scouts of his fellow Frenchman Victor Wembanyama. Offensively, Sarr is a little bit more raw. He posses elite ball handling and playmaking for a player his size, but his shooting mechanics are inconsistent. He has a solid shot with the potential to become an above average shooter, but he needs to work on his consistency at the next level. On around 2 attempts per game, he shot 29% on three pointers in the NBL last season, something that can be expanded on. Sarr is also an elite shot creator, as he is able to shoot over smaller defenders and blow by the slower ones. Another problem with his game is that he needs to be more physical than he currently is when finishing around the rim. Often times he is seen shying away from contact when he could easily punch a dunk on someone’s head. Sarr does provide teams with a lob threat in the pick in role, as that is where he is seen being most aggressive. Overall, Sarr has a modern style of play that scouts look for when drafting a big man, which is why he will be a top three pick.

Sarr will most likely not bring the star power a top pick would be projected; however, he can still be a solid player to start his career due to his shooting capabilities at 7 feet tall. With the right coaches and trainers, Sarr can further develop his offensive game to allow it to be more polished and fluent and possibly develop into an All-NBA talent.

Sarr’s Fit with the Rockets

If Sarr were to be drafted by the Rockets, he would give them a defensive anchor with solid shooting at the big man position. The Rockets could end up with a big starting lineup of Fred VanVleet at the one, Jalen Green at the two, Jabari Smith Jr. at the three, Alexandre Sarr at the four, and Alperen Sengun at the five. With Jabari and Sarr, the Rockets would have two versatile defenders that can play defense on any position 2-5. The advantage of this is that the Rockets won’t have to worry much about mismatches on the perimeter if they switch screens. On offense, the Rockets would have a decent amount of floor spacing with this lineup, but I could see Ime Udoka bringing Sarr off the bench in his rookie season in order to keep Dillon Brooks catch and shoot ability in the lineup. If Sarr is able to work with shooting coach Ben Sullivan and become a respectable 33% shooter from deep, we could possibly see that big lineup in fruition.

On top of this, Sarr would allow the Rockets to push in transition more often, which is one of the great things he brings to the table. The issue with drafting Sarr is that the Rockets already have three centers on their roster in Jock Landale, Steven Adams, and Alperen Sengun. By adding Sarr, who is versatile and can play the 3-5, you would be adding another name to that list. Another issue with the Rockets, which is more of a good problem than a bad one, is that there is almost too much talent already on their roster. If Ime wanted to go with a 9 man rotation, you would have a solid lineup including: Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore, Tari Eason, and Steven Adams. I think that Sarr could potentially be a good fit for the Rockets, but he doesn’t currently address their issue of floor spacing. Yes, he is a solid shooter for his size, but he doesn’t fully solve the Rockets’ shooting issue. In the NBA, without at least a couple of guys known for shooting you can’t win the championship. With the Celtics this season, all their guys could shoot, which allowed for them to hoist the trophy. Overall, though, Sarr would be a great addition to the Rockets if they are able to make other moves in the offseason to address their lack of shooting.