Houston Rockets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Hawks Trade AJ Griffin To Rockets In Three-Team Deal

June 27th, 2024 at 6:42pm CST by Luke Adams

6:42pm: The trade is now officially complete, according to press releases from the Hawks and Rockets. Because Atlanta ended up trading the No. 44 pick (Pelle Larsson) and cash to Miami in exchange for No. 43 pick Nikola Djurisic, that trade agreement between the Heat and Hawks has been folded into this one, making it a three-team deal.

1:14pm: The Hawks and Rockets have agreed to a trade that will send forward AJ Griffin to Houston in exchange for the No. 44 pick in Thursday’s draft, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Griffin, the 16th overall pick in the 2022 draft, had a promising rookie season in which he averaged 8.9 points per game with a .465/.390/.894 shooting line in 72 contests (19.5 MPG).

However, he missed time due to leg and ankle issues and personal reasons in 2023/24 and didn’t play much when he was available, averaging just 8.6 minutes per contest in 20 appearances. His scoring numbers cratered to 2.4 PPG on 29.0% shooting (.256 3PT%).

Despite his forgettable sophomore season, Griffin had been a player of interest in Houston for a while, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The Rockets, who will be operating over the cap but have plenty of breathing room below the luxury tax line, will be able to acquire the 20-year-old without sending out a player because they have a $4.5MM trade exception from last year’s Kevin Porter trade that Griffin will fit into, as Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. Using a trade exception created last year will hard-cap Houston at the first tax apron for 2024/25.

Griffin will earn a guaranteed $3.89MM salary for next season and the Rockets will have until the end of October to decide whether or not they want to exercise his $5.97MM team option for the ’25/26 season.

The Hawks have been exploring possible deals involving Griffin since February’s trade deadline, per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The move will help them out a bit financially — as Marks tweets, Atlanta’s projected team salary is now right at the luxury tax line, though it would increase to first tax apron territory in the event that Saddiq Bey gets a qualifying offer.

The Hawks, whose own second-round pick at No. 40 is controlled by Portland, will now have the opportunity to select a player in a similar range at No. 44 tonight.

Southwest Notes: Ingram, Cash, Rockets, Sheppard, Kennard, Clarke

June 27th, 2024 at 6:38am CST by Luke Adams

With trade rumors swirling around forward Brandon Ingram, Pelicans head of basketball operations David Griffin spoke to reporters on Wednesday night about where things stand with the former All-Star, as Christian Clark of NOLA.com relays (via Twitter). Griffin didn’t explicitly say Ingram wouldn’t be traded this offseason, but suggested the situation is a complicated one.

“Brandon wants to stay here,” Griffin said. “He believes in what we are building. That is meaningful to us. That’s meaningful to him. That’s meaningful to his agent. At the same time, there is a financial reality that we all deal with. I think we’re excited about Brandon. We know he’s excited about us. Usually, those things yield good results one way or the other.”

Reports have indicated that the Pelicans are unwilling to put a maximum-salary contract extension on the table for Ingram this offseason as he enters the final year of his current contract, making him a logical candidate to be on the move in a deal that upgrades another area of New Orleans’ roster.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

On the heels of losing a handful of front office executives this offseason, the Pelicans are promoting former WNBA star Swin Cash to senior vice president of basketball operations, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Cash, who has been in New Orleans’ basketball operations department since 2019, is one of the highest-ranking women by title in any NBA front office, Charania notes.
Speaking to reporters after the first round of the draft on Wednesday, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone said Houston considered Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard to be the top prospect in this draft and would have likely tried to trade out of No. 3 if he hadn’t been on the board (Twitter link via Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle).
With the deadline to exercise Luke Kennard‘s $14.8MM team option now just two days away, GM Zach Kleiman said the Grizzlies “still feel very strongly about Luke as someone who’s a great fit as part of this group,” writes Jonah Dylan of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. While Kennard is one of the NBA’s best shooters, Memphis has potential luxury tax concerns to consider as it weighs the decision on his 2024/25 option. One recent report indicated he might be a trade candidate if the option is exercised.
Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke hopes to get a chance to represent his home country in international competition at some point, but it won’t happen this summer. Clarke, who missed most of the 2023/24 season while recovering from an Achilles tear, explained on Tuesday why he wasn’t on the preliminary Olympic roster recently released by Team Canada. “It’s tough for me,” he said, according to Dylan. “I have to work on my rehab still. I’m still really working on my calf rehab, I didn’t get to have the summer that I wanted the past couple summers. There might be a time where I can play in the future, but as of right now my time is best spent doing my own thing and getting ready for the season.”

Trade Rumors: Kings, Wizards, THJ, Grizzlies, Rockets

June 26th, 2024 at 10:07pm CST by Luke Adams

In the minutes and hours leading up to their No. 13 pick in tonight’s draft, the Kings were engaged in trade talks involving that selection, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link).

Sacramento ultimately used that pick to select Providence guard Devin Carter and it doesn’t appear that there are any plans to trade him, but it seems safe to assume the Kings will remain on the lookout for help on the wing. Anderson says Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma and Nets sharpshooter Cameron Johnson were among the names he heard linked to the Kings, while Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) notes that Sacramento expressed interest in another Net, Dorian Finney-Smith, prior to February’s trade deadline.

Here are a few more draft-day trade rumors:

The Wizards have emerged as another “viable” trade partner for the Mavericks with Tim Hardaway Jr., according to Marc Stein (Twitter link), who previously identified Detroit as a possible landing spot for Hardaway. Unlike the Pistons, Washington doesn’t project to have cap room this offseason, so Dallas would likely have to take back some salary in a deal with the Wizards. As Stein points out, the two teams have already made one trade this year, with Washington sending Daniel Gafford to the Mavs in February.
Before drafting Ron Holland at No. 5, Detroit talked to the Grizzlies about a trade back to No. 9, but Memphis didn’t present anything “substantial” to convince the Pistons to make a deal, reports James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. The Grizzlies, who were believed to be eyeing Donovan Clingan, also spoke to the Hornets about the No. 6 pick, according to Fischer (Twitter link). Clingan ultimately went to Portland at No. 7, with Memphis opting for another center, Zach Edey, at No. 9.
Despite rumors that the Rockets want to turn around and immediately trade the draft assets they got from Brooklyn for a star – possibly Kevin Durant – Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle believes the team will take a longer-term outlook. As Feigen writes in a subscriber-only story, if Houston were prioritizing making a deal in the short term, the Nets picks they gave up would’ve been valuable assets. By kicking those picks down the road, the Rockets created a longer runway to explore the trade market and pursue possible deals.

Rockets Draft Reed Sheppard With No. 3 Pick

June 26th, 2024 at 7:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard is the first college player to come off the board in the 2024 NBA draft, heading to the Rockets with the third overall pick.

Sheppard wasn’t even a starter in his lone college season at Kentucky, but he averaged 28.9 minutes per game as the Wildcats’ sixth man and impressed NBA evaluators with his shooting, play-making, and good hands on defense.

In 33 games, Sheppard averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per contest while making 53.6% of his field goals, including 52.1% of his three-point tries. He also shot 83.1% from the free throw line.

There had been rumors in the days and weeks leading up to the draft that Houston was very open to trading the third overall pick, either in a package for an impact player or as part of a deal that would provide them with additional future draft assets.

But no trade materialized with the Rockets on the clock, and Sheppard has been the player long viewed as their likely target if they were to keep the pick. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), they intend to hang onto Sheppard, who will add shooting to a talented young Houston core headed by Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith.

Mat Ishbia Says Suns Are Keeping Kevin Durant

June 26th, 2024 at 5:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Suns owner Mat Ishbia sent out a Twitter message this afternoon to try to quash rumors about a Kevin Durant trade. Speculation regarding a potential deal has increased since the Rockets reached an agreement with Brooklyn to acquire three future Phoenix first-round picks.

“NBA Draft night is the best,” Ishbia wrote. “Everyone talking about the drama and storylines, some are right and some are just wrong. My turn. Phoenix loves Kevin Durant and Kevin Durant loves Phoenix, and we are competing for a championship this year because we have the team to do it. Gotta love draft night! Go Suns.”

Ishbia provided confirmation to a report this morning that there’s “zero chance” Durant will be traded. While Ishbia didn’t mention Devin Booker, another possible Rockets target, it’s believed that Phoenix isn’t looking to move any of its current core players.

Durant has two years left on his contract at $51.2MM and $54.7MM, so there’s no urgency for the Suns to trade him and no indication that he’s unhappy with his current situation. Phoenix was the destination Durant chose when he submitted his second trade request to Brooklyn two years ago. He was also Ishbia’s first major acquisition after purchasing the team, so it’s understandable that the owner would be reluctant to part with him already.

At 36, Durant might be an awkward fit with Houston’s roster, which is still mostly young. Booker, 28, fits the timeline better, but he’s under contract through the 2027/28 season.

Pacific Notes: Thompson, Kerr, Durant, Dunn, Vezenkov, Clippers, Lakers, Casey, Vaughn

June 26th, 2024 at 2:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors coach Steve Kerr doesn’t want to go into next season without Klay Thompson.

Kerr told Tristi Rodriguez on the Jim Rome Show (hat tip to Zach Bachar of Bleacher Report) he doesn’t want to see the Splash Brothers broken up. Thompson is headed to unrestricted free agency unless he signs an extension in the coming days. The Athletic reported this week that negotiations between the two parties are “essentially frozen.”

“I want him back desperately,” Kerr said. “And we will have our conversations and he’s got to make whatever decision he makes, but we really want him back. He’s Klay Thompson.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

The Rockets swapped future draft picks with the Nets, acquiring numerous Phoenix first-rounders with an eye toward pushing the Suns to trade Kevin Durant or Devin Booker. However, the Suns are intent on “riding” with Booker, Bradley Beal and Durant, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link).
The Suns might target veteran guard Kris Dunn in free agency, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (subscription required). Phoenix, in the market for point guard depth, is limited to offering veteran’s minimum deals to free agents and rival teams expect them to take a long look at Dunn, who started 32 games for Utah last season.
Sasha Vezenkov would prefer to remain in the NBA, Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net relays. There have been conflicting reports on whether the former Euroleague star wants to stay in the NBA, though the Kings wing has a fully guaranteed contract for next season. “Panathinaikos called me sometimes and expressed interest,” Nick Lotsos, Vezenkov’s rep, told the Greek newspaper Fos. “I told them that both Vezenkov and myself want to see if he will continue in the NBA first. If he leaves the NBA, we will give priority to his last European team, Olympiacos, in discussions. If negotiations do not succeed, then we will probably open talks with other teams.”
The Clippers don’t have a first-round pick but they do own the No. 46 overall pick. Law Murray of The Athletic explores which players the Clippers might target in the second round.
Former Raptors and Pistons coach Dwane Casey and former Nets coach Jacque Vaughn are candidates to join J.J. Redick’s staff with the Lakers, according to Marc Stein. The Lakers want to surround Redick with experienced voices.

Multiple Suitors Reportedly Willing To Offer Paul George Four-Year Deal

June 26th, 2024 at 11:09am CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers and Paul George appear to still be in a stand-off, with his player option decision just three days away. Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up on Wednesday morning (YouTube link), Brian Windhorst provided an update on where things stand with the star forward, who could pick up his option and push for a trade, opt out to become a free agent, or sign a new deal to remain in Los Angeles.

“I have been told that multiple teams out there are willing to trade for him and offer him the four-year max contract that he’s not currently being offered by the Clippers,” Windhorst said. “That means he’s got a set of options. But the question is, are the Clippers going to play ball with such a deal, or are they going to risk losing him for nothing if he can walk to a team like Philadelphia or Orlando?

“… At the end of the day, what I think he really wants to do is get that four-year max offer from the Clippers. They have not been willing to go there yet, especially after giving Kawhi Leonard just a three-year deal at less than the max. So this is really a bit of a stare-down right now. At the moment, at least it appears the Clippers (are) kind of calling a bluff from Paul George (about whether) he actually wants to leave his hometown.”

While an opt-in-and-trade scenario remains in play for George, one of his potential suitors likely took itself out of the running on Tuesday night, as the Knicks agreed to give up five first-round picks and a first-round swap in a deal for Brooklyn’s Mikal Bridges. New York had frequently been mentioned recently as a team with potential trade interest in George.

The Warriors and Rockets are among the other clubs who have been linked to the 34-year-old, and Windhorst hinted during the most recent Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link) that Golden State could have a geographical edge.

“I’m not so sure Paul George really wanted to leave the West Coast,” Windhorst said in explaining why the Knicks are acquiring Bridges instead of pushing for George. “I think that was something that Philadelphia kind of ran into when they kicked the tires there.”

A report last week indicated that the Sixers‘ interest in pursuing George has “waned.” While there has been some push-back on that report in the days since then, Windhort stated on the Hoop Collective podcast that he thinks Philadelphia has “moved past the idea” of landing George, though he cautions that it’s not “dead” yet.

In the event that George opts in for 2024/25 and is traded to a new team, he would be able to sign a three-year extension worth up to a projected $171MM without having to wait six months, since the extend-and-trade rules will become more lenient beginning in July.

Taking into account his $48.8MM player option, that would put George in line to earn nearly $220MM over the next four seasons, which is more than the maximum four-year contract he could get if he signs with a cap-room team like the Sixers or Magic as a free agent this summer (such a deal would be worth a projected $212.2MM). Those $171MM and $220MM figures are based on the assumption that the salary cap will increase by the maximum allowable 10% in 2025.

Typically, the Clippers would have the option of going all the way up to five years for George, since they hold his Bird rights, but he can’t get a contract longer than four years this offseason due to the over-38 rule.

Rockets Rumors: No. 3 Pick, Smart, Williams, Sheppard

June 26th, 2024 at 10:18am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets continue to field inquiries on the No. 3 overall pick in Wednesday’s draft and are seriously considering the possibility of making a move, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, who says there are multiple teams with genuine interest in acquiring that pick and some possible trade structures already in place.

That doesn’t mean Houston won’t still ultimately decide to stand pat and make a pick at No. 3, but Iko considers the odds of a Rockets trade higher than they were in any of the previous three lotteries.

While Houston would love to use that No. 3 pick as part of a package to acquire an impact player, there’s no indication that any real progress has been made on a deal along the lines. The expectation, team and league sources tell Iko, is that the Rockets will instead instead prioritize future draft assets (preferably unprotected ones) if they decide to move down from No. 3, like they did in last night’s draft-pick swap with Brooklyn.

According to Iko, the Rockets have received offers that include a 2024 first-round pick and a future pick for No. 3, as well as offers that don’t include a ’24 first-rounder at all. Houston may wait until its on the clock at No. 3 tonight to make a decision in the hopes that those offers improve, Iko adds.

Here’s more on the Rockets:

Although team sources have pushed back against a rumor linking the Rockets to Marcus Smart, rival teams still believe Houston would have interest in the Grizzlies guard in a trade-down scenario, says Iko. Smart played for Rockets head coach Ime Udoka in Boston in 2021/22.
The Hornets are among the teams that have expressed interest in the No. 3 pick, Iko writes, adding that a Western Conference executive named Charlotte big man Mark Williams as someone who would likely be of interest to the Rockets.
In a separate story for The Athletic, Iko and Sam Vecenie break down the Rockets’ draft options at No. 3, with Vecenie explaining why he believes Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard would be a perfect fit in Houston alongside the club’s existing core.
Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required) also takes a closer look at Houston’s options if the team keeps its current pick, evaluating both Donovan Clingan‘s potential fit and the possibility that Zaccharie Risacher could slip to No. 3.

Nets, Rockets Officially Complete Swap Of Draft Assets

June 26th, 2024 at 3:49am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets and Rockets have officially announced their trade involving a series of future draft assets, with each team issuing a press release to confirm the move. We previously covered the deal within our story on the Mikal Bridges trade between the Nets and Knicks, but here are the full terms of the Brookyn/Houston swap:

Nets acquire:

Control of their own 2025 first-round pick (negating the Rockets’ right to swap either its own 2025 first-rounder or the Thunder’s 2025 first-rounder for Brooklyn’s pick).
Their own 2026 first-round pick.

Rockets acquire:

The right to swap either their own 2025 first-round pick or the Thunder’s 2025 first-round pick for the Suns’ 2025 first-round pick.
The Suns’ 2027 first-round pick.
Either the Mavericks’ or the Suns’ 2029 first-round pick (whichever is more favorable).
The right to swap their own 2029 first-round pick with either the Mavericks’ or the Suns’ 2029 first-round pick (whichever is least favorable).
- Note: Houston now essentially controls the two most favorable of the Mavericks’, Suns’, and Rockets’ 2029 first-rounders, with the Nets retaining control of the least favorable of the three.

The Nets’ motivation for the deal seems clear — their decision to trade Bridges signals that they’re prepared to take a step back in the short term rather than pushing toward contention. Having control of their own first-round picks for 2025 and 2026 will aid their rebuilding process, reducing the need to accelerate that process.

As cap expert Yossi Gozlan notes (via Twitter), Brooklyn will be in position to create more than $60MM in cap room in 2025, so the team will have no shortage of cap flexibility going forward in addition to being flush with future draft assets.

As for the Rockets, a report back in early May suggested they had interest in talking to the Nets about returning some of Brooklyn’s draft assets in exchange for some of those future Suns picks. Houston is pushing its collection of draft assets down the road a little and making a bet against Phoenix’s sustainability as a contender for the next several years.

As Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links) has reported, the Rockets believe acquiring those future Suns assets puts them in a good position to pursue a star like Kevin Durant or Devin Booker in the event that they submit trade requests, or in the event that Phoenix eventually decides to break up its roster.

As the Nets showed with this deal, if a team pivots to a rebuild, it’s crucial for that team to control its own first-round draft picks — the Rockets now essentially own the Suns’ picks in 2025, 2027, and 2029 and could offer those assets back to Phoenix in any major trade between the two teams.

Still, for the time being at least, the Suns have no interest in considering a trade involving Durant or Booker, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7, who responded to Wojnarowski’s report about Houston’s interest in acquiring Durant by tweeting that there’s “zero chance” that happens. Woj followed up on his initial report by clarifying (via Twitter) that the Rockets won’t necessary wait for a Suns star to become available and will also shop those picks to other teams in an effort to upgrade their roster.

Knicks To Acquire Mikal Bridges From Nets For Bogdanovic, Multiple First-Rounders

June 25th, 2024 at 10:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nets have agreed in principle to trade forward Mikal Bridges to the Knicks for Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round picks, a protected first-round pick via the Bucks, an unprotected pick swap, and a second-rounder, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

It’s a stunning development for both New York clubs, who haven’t made a trade with one another since 1983, as Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets.

The Knicks’ draft capital heading to Brooklyn will be their 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031 first-rounders. The pick that the Bucks owed the Knicks was their 2025 first-rounder (top-four protected). The unprotected pick swap will come in 2028, while the second-rounder will be in 2025 (Brooklyn’s own). The Knicks will receive a 2026 second-round pick along with Bridges, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

It’s a huge haul for the Nets, who acquired Bridges from the Suns in the 2023 Kevin Durant blockbuster. Bridges appeared in all 82 games this past season, averaging 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per contest.

Bridges made a trade request to be dealt to the Knicks, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets. The forward is entering the third season of a four-year, $90MM contract and wanted to rejoin former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart. He was prepared to tell any other teams looking to trade for him that he’d eventually sign with the Knicks as a free agent, Begley adds (via Twitter).

The Grizzlies and Jazz were among the other suitors who were prepared to offer “significant draft packages” for Bridges, sources tell Wojnarowski. The Rockets also had interest in Bridges, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, who disputes Begley’s claim that the 27-year-old requested a trade but confirms he was interested in joining the Knicks.

Bridges will take some of the scoring load off of Brunson and Julius Randle while providing New York head coach Tom Thibodeau with another versatile piece on defense. The former Sun and Net will be eligible to sign a two-year extension as of October 1, or a longer deal next offseason.

Bridges is due to make $23.3MM next season. Bodganovic, who has a $19MM expiring contract for next season, looks more like a salary-matching piece than a player Brooklyn is specifically targeting, so he may not be a Net for long.

While only $2MM of Bogdanovic’s salary for 2024/25 is currently guaranteed, that partial guarantee will have to be increased to at least $14.2MM to make this trade work. That means he could end up be dealt again, as his larger partial guarantee makes him less likely to be waived, cap expert Yossi Gozlan notes (Twitter link). Bogdanovic is projected to return in October from the foot and wrist surgeries he required this spring, sources tell Fischer.

The Knicks will apparently still look to re-sign OG Anunoby, who has decided to opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent, Wojnarowski tweets. However, New York is preparing to lose Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency, according to Begley (Twitter link). Hartenstein is expected to be a top target for several teams in free agency, and the Knicks — who only hold his Early Bird rights — can offer a max of four years and approximately $72.5MM.

Assuming the trade is completed as reported, without additional players added, the Knicks will be hard-capped at the first tax apron (projected to come in around $178.7MM) for the 2024/25 league year, since they’ll be taking back more salary than they send out. That will put a limit on New York’s spending power to fill out the roster, though the team should still have enough wiggle room to make a strong offer to Anunoby.

The Nets, meanwhile, are in position to create a new traded player exception worth $21.7MM if they take Bogdanovic into their previously created $20MM+ exception, Gozlan observes (via Twitter). If they go that route, they’d be hard-capped at the first apron in ’24/25 as well, since they’d be using a trade exception created prior to this offseason.

The Nets have also worked out a separate deal with the Rockets involving draft picks, according to Wojnarowski.

In that agreed-to trade with Houston, Nets are trading a 2025 Suns pick swap, a 2027 Suns first-rounder, and a first-rounder and swap in 2029 in exchange for their own 2025 pick swap and 2026 first-rounder from the James Harden trade, The Athletic’s Shams Charania tweets.

The Rockets’ motivation is to use the draft capital to help acquire an impact player. While the Rockets are intrigued about pursuing a Kevin Durant deal, Phoenix is inclined to run it back with its core group. Thus, the Rockets are now determined to use the Suns picks to be aggressive on deals elsewhere, Wojnarowski tweets.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.