Houston Rockets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Several Rockets Could Miss Opener Due To Contact Tracing

December 23rd, 2020 at 12:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

12:51pm: KJ Martin is now listed on the Rockets’ injury report as self-isolating and not with the team, tweets MacMahon. The contact tracing is related to Martin’s test results, Wojnarowski confirms (via Twitter).

As Woj explains (via Twitter), a group of Rockets players, including Martin, Wall, and Cousins, were away from the team facility at an apartment getting haircuts. Since Martin tested positive, contact tracing is required for others who were there – including Wall and Cousins – as the team waits for confirmation on Martin’s test result.

Wall and Cousins have both tested negative, Woj adds (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Jae’Sean Tate has also been sent home for contact tracing, tweets MacMahon.

12:25pm: Wall tested negative for the coronavirus but is among a group of Rockets sent home because a teammate tested positive, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links). Woj adds that Ben McLemore tested positive for COVID-19 a few days ago but has been in isolation and isn’t the player whose positive test initiated today’s contact tracing.

Meanwhile, Sam Amick of The Athletic clarifies (via Twitter) that the contact tracing isn’t tied to Harden, while Tim Bontemps of ESPN tweets that the Thunder haven’t received any communication from the NBA about the status of tonight’s game.

11:47am: Several Rockets players are expected to miss the season opener tonight because of COVID-19 contact tracing, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Charania mentions John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins and says other players could also be affected.

Although Charania doesn’t specify, the action could be related to an investigation into James Harden‘s apparent visit to a strip club. NBA officials are examining a video on social media to determine if it was recent, making it a violation of the league’s health and safety protocols.

Harden published – and later deleted – an Instagram story claiming that the video in question wasn’t from a strip club, but it would still be a violation of the NBA’s protocols, which prohibit players from visiting bars, lounges, and clubs, notes Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter links).

Information on who else will miss tonight’s game against the Thunder should become available later today, but the news delays a return for two players who have been sidelined with major injuries. Wall hasn’t played in two years because of a ruptured Achilles tendon, while Cousins sat out all of last season with a torn ACL in his left knee.

James Harden’s Availability For Tonight’s Opener In Jeopardy?

December 23rd, 2020 at 9:38am CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA office and Rockets officials are reviewing a social media video of James Harden at a strip club to determine the date it occurred, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. If it is found to be recent, it could be considered a violation of COVID-19 protocols and Harden may not be allowed to play in tonight’s season opener.

MacMahon adds that the NBA’s health and safety protocols state that “failure or refusal to comply with the protocols may subject players and team staff to disciplinary action by the NBA or his or her team which may include a warning, fine, and/or suspension” (Twitter link). A suspension for Harden would cost him $284,517 per game, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN.

It’s the latest controversy for the former MVP, whose desire to be traded has been the dominant story of Houston’s offseason. Harden was late reporting to camp as images surfaced of him partying in Atlanta and Las Vegas, and a report surfaced Tuesday of tension between Harden and his teammates, including an incident where he reportedly threw a basketball at Jae’Sean Tate.

Harden first issued a trade request during the offseason, indicating that he had lost confidence in the organization’s ability to build a championship contender around him. Since arriving at camp, he has brushed aside questions about a possible deal, but hasn’t relented in his desire to leave the Rockets.

According to reports, Houston hasn’t been able to reach any traction in trade talks with a number of teams. The Heat pulled out of discussions this week and the Nuggets weren’t willing to part with Jamal Murray or Michael Porter Jr.

Marc Stein of The New York Times wrote in his newsletter this week that it has “recently become known” that the Celtics and Raptors have had exploratory talks about Harden, but it’s not clear if Stein is reporting – or confirming – that himself, or referring to other unconfirmed reports.

The Rockets have been steadfast in saying they won’t part with Harden unless they get a young star and a package of draft picks in return. We’ll see if this latest incident affects their asking price.

Organization Hopes To Bring Green Back

December 22nd, 2020 at 7:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

James Harden dismissed a question about his future with the Rockets when he met with the media on Monday, Kristie Rieken of The Associated Press writes. Harden also downplayed his late arrival to training camp. “We keep talking about what I missed,” he said. “I think everybody, the entire league is in catch-up mode in a sense of we only had a short time for training camp, so everybody’s trying to get into game shape because obviously the season just ended a few months ago.” There’s reportedly tension between the disgruntled All-Star and his teammates as the season approaches.
The Rockets are hopeful are bringing back Gerald Green as a player or in another role, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Green was placed on waivers over the weekend due to cap constraints after he signed a non-guaranteed contract prior to camp. “He’s still going to be part of the family, obviously,” coach Stephen Silas said. “We’re going to figure out a way if he doesn’t get picked up by somebody else for him to be a Rocket, which he should be.”
Rockets guard Ben McLemore is not with the team because he’s self-isolating, according to the league’s injury report, Tim MacMahon of ESPN tweets. Houston hosts the Thunder on Wednesday.

Rockets Seek Porter Jr. In Potential Harden Trade With Nuggets

December 22nd, 2020 at 6:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets have focused on Michael Porter Jr. in trade discussions with the Nuggets as the centerpiece of a potential James Harden trade, Mike Singer of the Denver Post reports.

However, the talks didn’t gain any traction, Singer adds. This updates an earlier report that the Nuggets are unwilling to give up Jamal Murray in a package for Harden. Murray was never included in any discussions and Nikola Jokic is also off-limits.

Porter would give the Rockets a potential star in return for the perennial All-Star guard, who wants to be dealt. Any potential deal with Denver would also have to include Gary Harris and/or Will Barton for salary-matching purposes salaries and that would seriously deplete the Nuggets at the wing spots, Singer notes.

Harden would make for an intriguing third star to join forces with Jokic and Murray but he could also wreck the good chemistry the team displayed while making its run to the conference finals last season.

Porter averaged 9.3 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 55 games (16.4 MPG) during his de facto rookie season in 2019/20 after he was sidelined the previous campaign due to a back injury. His playing time grew during the playoffs, as he averaged 11.4 PPG and 6.7 RPG while shooting 38.2% from long range.

Houston has reportedly been seeking a return that features an All-Star-caliber young player, along with several other assets (young players or draft picks).

Nuggets Won’t Trade Murray In Potential Harden Deal

December 22nd, 2020 at 2:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets have reportedly spoken to the Rockets about the possibility of a James Harden trade, but Denver would be unwilling to include Jamal Murray in any offer for the former MVP, according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post.

As Singer explains, Murray’s impressive postseason run during the Orlando restart over the summer underscored why the Nuggets gave him a maximum-salary extension a year ago. It also demonstrated why Denver views the 23-year-old as a long-term franchise cornerstone alongside Nikola Jokic, who – of course – also wouldn’t be available in any Harden discussions.

With Jokic and Murray off the table, the most obvious centerpiece in a potential Nuggets offer would be Michael Porter Jr. The 22-year-old forward averaged 9.3 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 55 games (16.4 MPG) during his de facto rookie season in 2019/20.

While those numbers don’t jump off the page, Porter’s upside is considerable and he’s viewed as a potential offensive star. Still, it’s not clear how enthusiastic the Rockets would be about a deal built around him — or how many other assets the Nuggets would be willing to include in such an offer. Houston has reportedly been seeking a return that features an All-Star-caliber young player, along with several other assets (young players or draft picks).

Denver hasn’t been mentioned as one of Harden’s preferred landing spots, but a report last week indicated that the Rockets had expanded trade talks beyond those teams on his wish list. Presumably, the Nuggets were one of those teams, though it’s unclear if the two sides remain in touch or have engaged in anything beyond exploratory discussions.

Tension Between James Harden, Rockets Teammates?

December 22nd, 2020 at 8:40am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets appear set to open the regular season with James Harden on their roster, and while the star guard has reportedly vowed to be professional as he waits for the team to satisfy his trade request, the environment around the team has been tense at times in recent days, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Harden had multiple verbal confrontations with teammates during practices on Sunday and Monday, reports Charania. Sources tell The Athletic that one of those confrontations saw Harden throw a basketball at Jae’Sean Tate after the two had a “heated exchange.”

Charania acknowledges that tense practice interactions between teammates aren’t necessarily uncommon in competitive environments. However, he says some people around the franchise view the confrontations as signaling an “uncharacteristic level of frustration” for Harden, who is typically more calm and laid back.

While Charania compares the situation to Jimmy Butler‘s final weeks in Minnesota, he notes that there are a number of differences between the two situations — Butler was in a contract year, which gave him added leverage, and has a more fiery, volatile personality than Harden. The Rockets are hoping to avoid that sort of volatility as they wait out the trade market and focus on finding a deal that meets their asking price, says Charania.

For what it’s worth, Charania writes that sources have described Harden as “engaged and encouraging” with teammates during games so far this month.

The Rockets will open their regular season by hosting the Thunder on Wednesday night.

Heat No Longer Engaging In Harden Talks With Rockets

December 21st, 2020 at 2:33pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat are no longer engaging in discussions with the Rockets about a possible James Harden trade, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link).

Miami was said to be among Harden’s preferred landing spot, and a report earlier this month indicated the Heat would be open to exploring the possibility of a deal. However, Winderman hears that the discussions were “never more than cursory.”

The Heat had some interest, but not at the Rockets’ asking price, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson adds (via Twitter) that one high-ranking Heat official had “strong interest” in a deal and that the team might re-engage if Houston lowers its asking price. For now, Miami is standing firm.

As Winderman points out (via Twitter), the Heat have taken this approach before, shutting down trade discussions on a potential target once the regular season begins — they did so with Jimmy Butler right before the start of the 2018/19 campaign, preferring to push that speculation aside once the season tipped off. Butler eventually made his way to Miami in the 2019 offseason after being traded from Minnesota to Philadelphia during the season.

In order to realistically have a shot to acquire Harden without giving up Butler or Bam Adebayo, the Heat would have to gut their supporting cast, likely including veterans like Andre Iguodala and Kelly Olynyk for salary purposes and then sweetening their offer by including young players like Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and/or Kendrick Nunn, along with future draft picks.

The inclusion of Robinson in a potential deal was said to be a sticking point, though it sounds like the Heat and Rockets may not have gotten far enough in their talks to seriously haggle over specific aspects of an offer.

The Rockets have also had Harden discussions with the Nets, Sixers, and Nuggets, among other teams, says ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Denver isn’t believed to be among Harden’s preferred destinations, but could put together an interesting trade package for a star player.

And-Ones: Coronavirus, Waiver Order, Lottery, Achilles Injuries

December 21st, 2020 at 12:16pm CST by Luke Adams

In a column for USA Today, NBA commissioner Adam Silver explained that while another bubble wasn’t a practical solution for the 2020/21 season, the league believes it can take the lessons learned during the Orlando summer restart and conduct its new season “safely and responsibly.” As it did prior to the summer restart, the NBA has designed thorough health and safety protocols in consultation with public health and medical experts, according to Silver.

“We recognize there are some people who believe we should wait to return until the pandemic is crushed, but we believe that on balance, the right approach is to start our season now,” Silver said.

While Silver claims in his column that “the health and safety of everyone remains our top priority,” it’s safe to say that financial considerations played a large part in the NBA’s decision to begin its new season now. Previous reports have indicated that starting the ’20/21 campaign before Christmas is expected to salvage between $500MM and $1 billion in projected revenue for the league.

As for the NBA’s COVID-19 vaccination plan, Silver said on Monday during an appearance on ESPN’s First Take that the league won’t “jump the line in any form whatsoever,” as Tim Bontemps of ESPN relays.

“For the most part, because our players are so young and healthy without some sort of comorbidity, they will not be a high priority for vaccinations,” Silver said. “There are some other members of the NBA community working on court who are older and will have a higher priority to get the vaccine.”

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

From now until January 24, the NBA’s waiver order will be based on winning percentage as of March 11, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The teams with the worst records at that time will have the highest waiver priority. Typically, the waiver order is based on the current season’s records starting on December 1, but that won’t happen until January 25 this season due to the revamped calendar.
Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer makes the case that the NBA’s new lottery format – which went into effect in 2019 – has made it more difficult for teams to “tank their way to the top.”
Taking into account how many Rockets players have suffered torn Achilles tendons, Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle takes a deep dive into the injury and the recovery process, explaining why it’s no longer considered the same sort of career-killer it once was for NBA players. DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall, and David Nwaba suffered Achilles tears in the past, while Chris Clemons tore his Achilles during a preseason game this month.

2020/21 NBA Over/Unders: Southwest Division

December 21st, 2020 at 9:22am CST by Luke Adams

The 2020/21 NBA regular season will get underway on Tuesday, so it’s time to get serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign.

With the help of the lines from a handful of sports betting sites, including Bovada and BetOnline, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.

Of course, there are plenty of wild cards to take into account this season. For one, teams are scheduled to play 72 games instead of 82, so if you’re picking a team to win 41 games, you’re not just expecting them to be a .500 club — you’re projecting them to finish 10 games above .500. For each team’s over/under below, we’ve noted the record they’d have to achieve to finish “over” their projection, as a reminder.

It’s also worth noting that the coronavirus pandemic could cause some games to be canceled in 2020/21. We don’t want you to have to take possible cancellations into account when making your picks though, so don’t let that stop you from taking the “over.” If a team has a couple games canceled, we’ll adjust their over/under figure downward, so you’re essentially just projecting that team’s winning percentage.

We’ll wrap things up by heading to the Southwest…

Dallas Mavericks

2019/20 record: 43-32
Over/under for 2020/21: 43.5 wins (44-28)
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Josh Richardson, James Johnson, Wesley Iwundu, Josh Green, Tyrell Terry
- Lost: Seth Curry, Delon Wright, Justin Jackson, J.J. Barea, Courtney Lee, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Mavericks poll.

New Orleans Pelicans

2019/20 record: 30-42
Over/under for 2020/21: 36.5 wins (37-35)
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Steven Adams, Eric Bledsoe, Wenyen Gabriel, Kira Lewis Jr., Willy Hernangomez, Sindarius Thornwell
- Lost: Jrue Holiday, Derrick Favors, E’Twaun Moore, Jahlil Okafor, Darius Miller, Frank Jackson, Kenrich Williams

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Pelicans poll.

Houston Rockets

2019/20 record: 44-28
Over/under for 2020/21: 35.5 wins (36-36)
Major offseason moves:
- Added: John Wall, Christian Wood, DeMarcus Cousins, Sterling Brown, Jae’Sean Tate, KJ Martin
- Lost: Russell Westbrook, Robert Covington, Austin Rivers, DeMarre Carroll, Jeff Green, Thabo Sefolosha, Tyson Chandler

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Rockets poll.

Memphis Grizzlies

2019/20 record: 34-39
Over/under for 2020/21: 32.5 wins (33-39)
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Desmond Bane, Xavier Tillman
- Lost: Josh Jackson, Anthony Tolliver, Marko Guduric

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Grizzlies poll.

San Antonio Spurs

2019/20 record: 32-39
Over/under for 2020/21: 30.5 wins (31-41)
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Devin Vassell, Tre Jones
- Lost: Bryn Forbes, Marco Belinelli, Tyler Zeller, Chimezie Metu

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Spurs poll.

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

Boston Celtics (45.5 wins): Over (66.3%)
Brooklyn Nets (45.5 wins): Over (58.6%)
Philadelphia 76ers (44.5 wins): Over (57.4%)
Toronto Raptors (42.5 wins): Over (54.7%)
New York Knicks (22.5 wins): Under (59.5%)

Northwest:

Denver Nuggets (44.5 wins): Over (69.7%)
Utah Jazz (42.5 wins): Over (59.9%)
Portland Trail Blazers (41.5 wins): Over (70.1%)
Minnesota Timberwolves (29.5 wins): Under (50.3%)
Oklahoma City Thunder (22.5 wins): Under (64.4%)

Central:

Milwaukee Bucks (51.5 wins): Over (73.7%)
Indiana Pacers (39.5 wins): Over (57.9%)
Chicago Bulls (29.5 wins): Under (61.6%)
Cleveland Cavaliers (23.5 wins): Under (68.5%)
Detroit Pistons (22.5 wins): Over (53.9%)

Pacific:

Los Angeles Lakers (48.5 wins): Over (79.1%)
Los Angeles Clippers (47.5 wins): Under (50.4%)
Phoenix Suns (40.5 wins): Over (51.0%)
Golden State Warriors (38.5 wins): Over (60.3%)
Sacramento Kings (29.5 wins): Under (60.7%)

Southeast:

Miami Heat (44.5 wins): Over (67.6%)
Atlanta Hawks (36.5 wins): Over (58.0%)
Washington Wizards (34.5 wins): Under (50.7%)
Orlando Magic (31.5 wins): Under (73.5%)
Charlotte Hornets (26.5 wins): Over (56.3%)

Harden Not Distracting Rockets From Early Goals

December 20th, 2020 at 1:38pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Rockets head coach Stephen Silas has said that reports of All-NBA guard James Harden‘s various possible trade destinations have not distracted the club, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The superstar has been linked to the Nets, Sixers, and Heat, among other clubs, as he hopes for a trade. “He has been committed since he’s been here,” Silas said. “He’s been great in practice, good to talk to, listening, trying, asking good questions, pulling me aside and telling me the things that he sees.”