In a salary-dump deal just before the February 6 deadline, the Hawks traded veteran center Cody Zeller and a 2028 second-round pick to Houston to move below the luxury tax threshold.
The 32-year-old big man has been on the Rockets‘ roster and payroll since that move was finalized, but he has not been around the team and the expectation is that arrangement will continue for the remainder of the 2024/25 season, team and league sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic.
Zeller was signed to a multiyear contract by the Pelicans last offseason specifically to be used as a salary-matching piece in the Dejounte Murray trade. While he was technically a member of the Hawks for several months, he didn’t participate in training camp with Atlanta and agreed to remain away from the team indefinitely. The Rockets and Zeller have reached a similar agreement, Iko reports.
As Iko explains, the Rockets already had a crowded frontcourt prior to acquiring Zeller, with first-time All-Star Alperen Sengun manning the middle and Steven Adams and Jock Landale serving as the primary backup centers. Jabari Smith and Jeff Green have also been used as small-ball fives at times, Iko notes.
Although he’s taking up a roster spot, it doesn’t sound like Houston has any immediate plans to release Zeller. Iko points out that Zeller’s contract is non-guaranteed beyond this season ($3.68MM in ’25/26 and $3.85MM in ’26/27) and could again be used for salary-matching purposes if the Rockets decide to make trades in the 2025 offseason.
The fourth overall pick of the 2013 draft, Zeller spent his first eight NBA seasons in Charlotte before becoming a journeyman over the past handful of years, spending time with Portland, Miami and New Orleans from 2021-24. He holds career averages of 7.9 points and 5.7 rebounds in 552 regular season games, including 275 starts (20.9 minutes per contest).
Getting paid a lot of money to do nothing, just like our politicians.
The difference is the decision is a mutual one. Pretty sure people don’t vote in politicians hoping they will do nothing.
Must be nice to earn $3.5M just staying at home or on vacation LOL
Teams have been telling his hair to stay away from the team for years
Someone posted the other day that Houston doesn’t have filler salary for KD. Zeller’s deal will work towards that.
That person needs to stop it with the KD nonsense.
There’s always a guy at 24 hr fitness you have to do a double take if its Zeller but then you tell yourself naw couldn’t be , hell maybe it has been him all along
I swear I’ve seen Alex Caruso at 24 Hr about 10 times this year.
Easiest era ever. All you need to be able to run and shoot a 3
Lmao as opposed to what? Being able to run and shoot long 2s with terrible efficiency? Your glasses are a little too rose tinted amigo.
And the Rockets pay me to stay home too? I will take 1/3rd of that contract to sit at home this year.
You all are crying about NBA pocket change. What about all the StUPERSTARS that are all loaded for three lifetimes worth of money
That is f’ing BS and should be illegal. He isn’t hurt, but it is being seen as ethical for him to “earn” 4 million dollars not doing any of his job duties? This only further divides the elite from the working class.
Congratulations your entry for dumbest comment on the internet has been received and you are seen as a likely winner. Its not easy to say something so stupid out loud and your courage will be noted.
How is it ethical? Please defend it.
It’s capitalism…
Ethics don’t matter…
He’s paid to be a distraction from the ills of the economy… The fact you are here complaining about someone not doing a job instead of the rigged economic set up means it’s working..
He isn’t even being a distraction. Dude is on his butt at home raking in money.
You’re complaining about him instead of many other things… He’s therefore a distraction to the important things… Even from the couch…
Do you not understand how wrong it is to pay a wage to a person for not performing the role? You keep talking about the bigger picture, but that kind of BS with Zeller pops the balloon.
I do… You just don’t understand the reason it will continue to happen…
Bro quit yapping and pick a lane.