The Houston Rockets are entering a new era in their history. After losing their stars in the last few years, the team has been going through a thorough rebuild. Young guns like Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun have looked promising, but that hasn't exactly translated to team success yet.

The next stage of this rebuild comes at the 2022 NBA Draft. Armed with two first-round picks in the first round, the Rockets can use this opportunity to look for their next star. Here are the needs of this franchise heading into this monumental draft for the franchise.

*Watch NBA Games LIVE on fuboTV (click for free trial)

Rockets' 3 biggest needs entering 2022 NBA Draft

Defensive Versatility

Defense wins championships. That adage has stuck with many fans for years now, and for good reason. It's rare to see successful teams that don't have an above-average defense at the very least. The Rockets teams of years past had excellent defensive pieces that helped cement their status as the best in the league. Think Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley. Even more recent Houston contenders have had great defensive lineups.

This iteration of the Rockets… don't have that. Green, Sengun, and Christian Wood are all exciting names on offense. However… their defense has suffered immensely during the last two years. They ranked dead last in the league in defensive rating (per stats.nba.com) and sat a 27th a year prior. You can't win many games if you're giving up over 110 points per possession in the NBA.

Obviously, there's hope that Green and Sengun could develop into at least average defenders. Green, in particular, has the tools to become an above-average defender for the Rockets. However, it would greatly help the team if they drafted someone with decent defensive skills in the draft.

Wing depth

Eric Gordon was quietly excellent for the Rockets last season. The former New Orleans star gained a reputation in Houston for being one of the peskiest defenders on the team. His three-point shooting and veteran leadership has also been invaluable for this young squad.

However, Gordon is 33, and doesn't fit the Rockets' rebuilding timeline. There's a good chance he would want to leave the team in order to chase the elusive NBA ring everyone wants. It's very possible that the Rockets flip him in the draft for more future assets (either in this draft on in the future editions of the draft).

With that in mind, the Rockets should look for a potential replacement for their long-time starter. Jaden Ivey's name has been floating around as the Rockets' potential pick at #3. He's certainly an intriguing option for the team: his elite speed and defensive potential would be massive alongside Green and Kevin Porter Jr. The team is also reportedly looking at Baylor defensive standout Kendall Brown with the 17th pick.

Talent

At the end of the day, though, the Rockets are in the early stages of a rebuild. Quite frankly, this team isn't quite ready to contend with the brutal Western Conference for a playoff spot. Barring major improvements from their young guns or a blockbuster trade, the ceiling for this team next season is quite low.

Because of that, the Rockets should just look for the best player available for them in the draft. If someone like Chet Holmgren or Paolo Banchero falls to them at #3, then they shouldn't hesitate to make that pick. The team can just figure out what to do with said players once they get them.