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.
Despite taking up a roster spot, it doesn’t sound like Houston has any 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.
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.