Houston Rockets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Rockets Likely To Trade Oladipo Before Deadline

March 23rd, 2021 at 12:56pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat and Knicks, two of the teams linked most frequently to Victor Oladipo, are reluctant to offer substantial packages for the Rockets guard, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). However, that doesn’t mean that Houston is considering moving the two-time All-Star for pennies on the dollar.

According to Wojnarowski, a market has developed for Oladipo, with teams offering some combination of young players and/or first-round picks. The clubs making those offers will be capped out this offseason, Woj notes, which means acquiring Oladipo’s Bird rights would be crucial to locking him up long-term. Miami and New York, on the other hand, project to have significant cap room and could conceivably sign Oladipo outright in free agency.

The Rockets appear likely to move Oladipo before this Thursday’s trade deadline, says Wojnarowski.

Oladipo hasn’t recaptured his All-Star form since suffering a ruptured quad tendon in 2019, but remains relatively productive, averaging 20.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 4.7 APG on .411/.333/.767 shooting in 29 games (33.4 MPG) for Indiana and Houston this season. He’ll be seeking a raise on his current $21MM salary this offseason when he reaches unrestricted free agency.

Besides Oladipo, not many other Rockets players who are on the trade block are generating major interest ahead of this week’s deadline, per David Aldridge, Kelly Iko, and Danny Leroux of The Athletic. Danuel House has generated some interest, but the market for Sterling Brown and Ben McLemore appears limited.

Knicks Rumors: Fournier, Oladipo, Rivers, Henson, Pelle

March 23rd, 2021 at 11:42am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks still seem more likely than not to forgo making a major trade at this week’s deadline, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Besides not wanting to surrender major assets in a deal, the Knicks are also reluctant to disrupt the chemistry the current group has established, Begley explains.

Still, the team continues to monitor some of the more notable names available on the trade market. For instance, both Begley and Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports cite Evan Fournier as a possible target. Goodwill suggests New York is monitoring Fournier, while Begley says the club recently had a conversation with Magic about the veteran wing. It’s unclear if any progress was made in those talks, Begley notes.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Although the Knicks have been linked to Victor Oladipo and Lonzo Ball, a trade for either guard seems unlikely unless the asking price drops significantly, writes Begley. That’s not entirely out of the question in Oladipo’s case. David Aldridge, Kelly Iko, and Danny Leroux of The Athletic cited one executive who offered the following assessment on the Oladipo trade market: “I think they (the Rockets) will be selling very low on this, and possibly lower than anyone can imagine right now.”
Begley confirms that a trade or buyout of Austin Rivers seems probable, as ESPN’s Zach Lowe suggested on Monday. If the team opens up a roster spot by moving Rivers, John Henson and Norvel Pelle are among the candidates the team would consider to fill it, sources tell SNY.
Within his Knicks trade deadline primer, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic weighs which players currently on the roster are the top candidates to be moved and proposes hypothetical deals for Oladipo and Norman Powell.

Trade Rumors: Gordon, Bagley, Collins, Turner, Nuggets, Mavs

March 23rd, 2021 at 9:11am CST by Luke Adams

Magic forward Aaron Gordon continues to be one of the most intriguing trade candidates leading up to Thursday’s deadline, with a Monday report indicating that the Celtics are believed to be the frontrunners for him. Boston reportedly offered two first-round picks and may be eyeing a bigger deal that also features Marcus Smart and Evan Fournier, as Sam Amick of The Athletic confirms.

According to Amick, the Nuggets are currently viewed as the second-strongest suitor for Gordon. Denver has done a good deal of research on the veteran forward in an attempt to determine how well he’d fit the team’s system and culture, sources tell The Athletic.

The Rockets were considered a serious threat to land Gordon at one point, but they no longer to be among the favorites. As Amick explains, the 25-year-old’s disinterest in signing a longer-term extension with Houston may dissuade the club from giving up valuable assets for him. Gordon’s current contract is set to expire after the 2021/22 season.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

The Kings, who reportedly offered Marvin Bagley III to Detroit in a proposal for Saddiq Bey, have also made Bagley available in discussions with the Hawks about John Collins, says Amick. The Celtics, meanwhile, have “cooled” on Collins due to concerns about how much he’ll cost to retain in restricted free agency, Amick adds.
The Pacers would have to be blown away by a “no-brainer” deal in order to trade Myles Turner this week, multiple sources tell J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star. The Hornets, Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, and Pelicans are among the teams with interest in the big man, according to Michael, who says one three-team deal discussed last season would’ve sent Turner to New Orleans and Collins to Indiana.
The Nuggets and Mavericks remain on the lookout for wing help, with both clubs offering second-round picks and a veteran for salary-matching purposes (Gary Harris and James Johnson), per Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

Sixers’ Paul Reed Named G League Rookie Of The Year, MVP

March 22nd, 2021 at 1:33pm CST by Luke Adams

Sixers two-way player Paul Reed has a pair of two major NBA G League awards for the 2020/21 season, having been named the NBAGL Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player, per a press release. He beat out Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. and Raptors 905 big man Henry Ellenson, who finished second and third, respectively, in MVP voting.

Reed, the 58th overall pick in the 2020 draft, spent the entire G League season at the NBAGL bubble in Walt Disney World, appearing in all 15 games and helping to lead the Delaware Blue Coats to a 10-5 record and a spot in the G League Finals.

In 31.5 minutes per contest, Reed filled up the box score with 22.3 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 2.3 APG, 2.0 SPG, and 1.8 BPG. He also posted a scorching .588/.444/.789 shooting line.

Reed hasn’t seen much action at the NBA level so far this season, logging just 64 minutes in seven games for Philadelphia. However, he’s considered a promising young prospect and is expected to have his two-way deal turned into a standard contract at some point.

Reed is the third player to be named the G League Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season, joining Tim Frazier (2015) and Devin Brown (2003).

Haynes’ Latest: Bagley, Pistons, Bey, Gordon, Collins, Cavs

March 22nd, 2021 at 12:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons recently turned down an offer from the Kings that would have sent rookie forward Saddiq Bey to Sacramento in a deal involving Marvin Bagley III, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

After Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report suggested earlier today that Bagley would welcome a change of scenery, Haynes reiterates that point in his latest report, writing that the Kings and the third-year big man are “keen on discovering a corridor toward separation.”

A deal for Bey would be a long shot though, as the Pistons have shown little to no interest in parting with any members of their rookie class, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic, who says all four of those rookies (Bey, Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart, and Saben Lee) are considered building blocks for the team’s rebuild.

Here’s more from Haynes:

Rockets players thought the team was on the verge of acquiring Magic forward Aaron Gordon a few days ago, but at least one source with knowledge of trade talks disputed that a deal was at the finish line, writes Haynes. Sources tell Yahoo Sports that Gordon doesn’t want to go to a rebuilding team, preferring to join a club with the potential to make a playoff run. While Gordon doesn’t have the ability to dictate his landing spot, he’ll be a free agent in 2022, so any team giving up assets to acquire him would want to be relatively confident it could sign him beyond then, Haynes observes.
As other reports have suggested, the odds of a John Collins trade this week appear to be declining. Haynes says the Hawks haven’t been overly impressed by the offers, including a Mavericks package featuring Maxi Kleber.
Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen isn’t going anywhere before the trade deadline, but Cleveland is expected to have plenty of competition for him on the restricted free agent market this summer. Haynes reports that the Pistons, Raptors, Spurs, and Wizards are expected to be among the teams with interest in Allen, who turned down a four-year, $48MM extension offer from the Nets before the season.
A buyout is becoming a more likely outcome than a trade for Cavaliers center JaVale McGee, league sources tell Yahoo Sports. A buyout would be a bit of a surprise if there’s any interest in McGee, since he’s on a very movable $4.2MM expiring contract.

17 Trade Exceptions To Expire On Monday

March 22nd, 2021 at 12:20pm CST by Luke Adams

A total of 17 traded player exceptions around the NBA will expire if they’re not used by the end of the day today, as Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets.

Traded player exceptions allow a team to acquire a player without any outgoing salary, as long as the incoming player’s salary fits within the amount of the TPE (plus $100K of wiggle room). Trade exceptions are generated in certain deals and expire after one year if they haven’t been used.

We go into far more detail on the concept of the traded player exception in our glossary entry, so be sure to check that out if you want more info.

Most – if not all – of the 17 TPEs expiring today won’t be used. Many of those exceptions are worth less than $2MM, limiting their usefulness. The Warriors, for instance, have four trade exceptions set to expire today, but the most valuable one is worth just $1,925,880.

However, there are a few more notable TPEs worth mentioning. Here are the five most valuable traded player exceptions expiring today:

Miami Heat: $7,533,867
Memphis Grizzlies: $4,185,185
Los Angeles Clippers: $3,567,720
Sacramento Kings: $2,673,334
Portland Trail Blazers: $2,338,847

The Nuggets, Rockets, Timberwolves, Sixers, and Wizards also have small exceptions expiring today.

Most higher-value trade exceptions, including the Celtics‘ $28.5MM TPE and the Thunder‘s $27.5MM TPE, won’t expire until the offseason.

The full list of current trade exceptions can be found right here.

Fischer’s Latest: Graham, Hornets, Mavs, Fournier, Knicks, More

March 22nd, 2021 at 11:57am CST by Luke Adams

While it remains unclear how LaMelo Ball‘s wrist injury will affect the potential availability of fellow Hornets guard Devonte’ Graham, some people around the league were already skeptical that Charlotte would trade Graham this week, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

“They’ll try to keep him, and they’re willing to pay,” one assistant general manager said of Graham, who is eligible for restricted free agency this summer. Team executives polled by Fischer estimated that it may cost about $13-16MM annually on a four-year deal for the Hornets to re-sign Graham.

Ball’s injury may make the Hornets less likely to address their center position with a one-year stopgap, but it shouldn’t discourage them from remaining on the lookout for a long-term solution, per ESPN’s Zach Lowe.

Both Fischer and Lowe reiterate that Pacers center Myles Turner is high on Charlotte’s wish list, which has been previously reported. Fischer also identifies Grizzlies big man Gorgui Dieng as a potential target for the Hornets and says Charlotte has also called the Lakers asking about Montrezl Harrell.

Here’s more from Fischer:

The Mavericks have been the “loudest rumored team” for Magic guard Evan Fournier, according to Fischer, who says that one possible package would consist of James Johnson and a pair of second-round picks.
The Hawks are worth keeping an eye on as a possible Victor Oladipo landing spot, says Fischer, adding that the team has made Bogdan Bogdanovic and Cam Reddish available.
The Knicks have signaled interest in using their $15MM in cap room to accommodate a three-team deal, per Fischer. Some people within the team’s front office are against the idea of surrendering any draft assets for a player who could be signed this summer.
Fischer adds the Rockets, Pacers, and Bulls to the list of teams that have looked into a possible acquisition of Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie. Miami, Detroit, and Toronto have previously been cited as possibilities for Dinwiddie.
Although the Pelicans and Bulls had some earlier discussions centered around Lauri Markkanen and Lonzo Ball, those talks haven’t seemed substantial, sources tell Fischer.

Aaron Gordon Reportedly Requests Trade; Rockets, Others In Mix

March 22nd, 2021 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

8:56am: Gordon has reportedly requested a trade through his representatives, sources tell Jared Weiss and Sam Amick of The Athletic. A report last week suggested that the Magic forward would be “open to a change of scenery.”

8:42am: The Rockets and Magic have engaged in serious talks about a potential Aaron Gordon trade, league sources tell Zach Lowe of ESPN. While Lowe isn’t clear on the exact terms that have been discussed, he says it would likely take significant draft compensation from Houston (ie. multiple picks) to land Gordon.

Shams Charania of The Athletic published a similar report, writing that the Rockets and Magic have discussed a Gordon trade that would involve two first-round picks. A previous report indicated that Orlando was seeking a first-rounder and a quality young player, so this sounds like a similar ask.

Both Lowe and Charania say that no deal is imminent, but that there have been substantive talks. Although Gordon has been the subject of trade rumors for a year or two, this is the first time a deal really feels possible, according to Lowe, who suggests the odds could even be better than 50/50.

If the Magic do trade Gordon, it wouldn’t necessary be to Houston. Both Lowe and Charania say that the Timberwolves, Nuggets, and Trail Blazers remain interested, while sources tell Charania and The Athletic’s Jared Weiss that the Celtics are also still eyeing Gordon.

A Sunday report on the discussions between the Rockets and Magic suggested that Victor Oladipo could be part of those talks, with the two-time All-Star re-routed to a third team.

According to Charania, Houston’s asking price for Oladipo is thought to be a quality first-round pick or a good young player — if the team gets a first-rounder for Oladipo, it could be flipped to Orlando for Gordon. However, some teams around the NBA are wondering if the Rockets will have to settle for second-round compensation for Oladipo, Charania writes. League sources tell The Athletic that the Heat, Knicks, and Pistons have showed some interest in Oladipo.

Victor Oladipo Increasingly Regarded As Top Name To Be Traded

March 21st, 2021 at 9:52pm CST by JD Shaw

Rockets guard Victor Oladipo is being increasingly regarded as one of the top names that could be moved ahead of the trade deadline, Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets. Houston, losers of 20 straight games, acquired Oladipo in the multi-team deal featuring James Harden earlier this season.

Rockets Have Discussed Aaron Gordon, Victor Oladipo Deal With Magic

March 21st, 2021 at 6:47pm CST by JD Shaw

The Rockets have discussed a deal with the Magic involving Victor Oladipo and Aaron Gordon, though the team’s may need to find a third club to finalize any deal, O’Connor notes. Oladipo likely wouldn’t have a future in Orlando, as the 28-year-old spent the first three seasons of his career there and is set to reach free agency this offseason. The Rockets could also add a first-round pick or other assets to make a deal happen.