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Texas Notes: Rockets, Harris, Carmelo, Walker

November 25th, 2018 at 4:02pm CST by JD Shaw

Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni called on his reserves to play better after Friday’s loss against the Pistons, with the team currently sporting an underwhelming 9-8 record on the season.

“Our bench has to produce a little bit more,” D’Antoni said, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “We got to get something out of it. We’re not getting a lot of production there. It puts a lot of extra strain on the guys doing it, playing a lot of minutes with our starters.”

Houston’s bench — a group of Eric Gordon, Gary Clark, Isaiah Hartenstein and Gerald Green — scored just 13 points on 5-20 shooting in the loss against Detroit. The group gave a better effort in Chris Paul‘s absence on Saturday, but Houston still lost.

“We have Eric,” D’Antoni said, clearly expecting his bench production to be better. “We expect 20 points a game out of that. He’s been a little bit off. He’s still doing what he does. We have to get Gerald going. Gary Clark will get better as we go along. We got to get Nene back. We expect some scoring (off the bench.)”

The Rockets have coped with injuries, poor chemistry and the departure of veteran forward Carmelo Anthony this season, resulting in the team holding the 10th best record in the West a little more than a month into the season.

Here are some other notes out of Texas today:

Devin Harris discussed his return from injury with the Mavericks, as relayed by Eddie Sefko of SportsDay.com. Harris missed time this season after injuring his hamstring, but is working to regain his strength and stamina with the franchise. He scored nine points in 17 minutes against the Celtics on Saturday.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has no doubts that Carmelo Anthony will be back on an NBA roster this season, explaining his thoughts on his podcast this week (34:50 mark). Anthony and the Rockets surprisingly parted ways after just 10 games played this season, with the former NBA All-Star seeking a new home for the rest of the year.
Lonnie Walker IV will practice with the Spurs‘ G League affiliate as he continues rehab from a torn meniscus, the team announced today. Walker underwent surgery after sustaining the injury in a preseason game on October 6.

December Return Possible For Brandon Knight

November 23rd, 2018 at 2:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets have been very cautious with Brandon Knight as he returns from last year’s ACL tear, according to Alykhan Bijani of The Athletic, who hears from a source that the veteran guard could be ready to play at some point in December. While we haven’t seen Knight in action since the 2016/17 season, Houston views him as a player who could help back up Chris Paul and James Harden, says Bijani.

And-Ones: All-Star Game, White, Holland, Carmelo

November 19th, 2018 at 9:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he would discuss holding a future All-Star Game in the city of Detroit with Arn Tellem, the vice-chairman of the Pistons, Gregg Krupa of the Detroit News reports. The Pistons are playing their second season at Little Caesars Arena, which is also the home of the NHL’s Red Wings. “I’m sure we’ll be talking about it,” Silver said during a business trip to the city. The state of Michigan hasn’t seen an All-Star Game since 1979, when it was held in the Pontiac Silverdome. The Pistons’ former home, The Palace of Auburn Hills, never hosted the event.

We have more news from around the basketball world:

Former Heat and Cavaliers big man Okaro White is close to signing with Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv, according to a Eurobasket.com report which was relayed by Sam Amico. White appeared in six games with Miami last season after seeing action in 35 games with the Heat the previous season. The Cavaliers signed him to 10-day contracts last season but he didn’t play. He was waived by Cleveland in August and then by the Spurs in October after joining them for training camp.
The G League’s Austin Spurs acquired the returning rights to guard John Holland and a 2019 second-round pick from the Canton Charge, the Cavs’ affiliate, in exchange for small forward Jaron Blossomgame, according to a press release from the G League club. Holland had a two-way contract with the Cavaliers last season and played 24 games, posting an average of 2.3 PPG in 7.3 MPG. Holland appeared in one game this season with the Cavaliers before being waived on November 9th. Blossomgame, the Spurs’ second-round pick in 2017, spent the last two seasons with Austin but has yet to make his NBA debut.
The Warriors, Sixers, Lakers and Pelicans are the most likely landing spots for Carmelo Anthony once he’s waived by the Rockets, Matt Eppers of USA Today opines. Anthony could help each of those teams to varying degrees, mainly as a second-unit player.

Sixers Optimistic Butler Will Stay Put

November 19th, 2018 at 7:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Sixers managing partner and owner Josh Harris is both determined and optimistic that Jimmy Butler will remain with the team beyond this season, as he told USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt and The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

The Butler trade was made to give the franchise a third star alongside Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid and become a serious championship contender. It wouldn’t have happened unless the Sixers were convinced they could keep Butler, who can opt out of his contract this summer, in the long run.

“We’ve been saying since the summer we’ve been looking for another star and we felt we needed another shooter, a three-and-D wing, someone like Jimmy,” Harris told Zillgitt. “They’re hard to find at this elite level. We know who we have to get through to win the East. It’s obvious who it is. We think this is a piece we needed.”

While Butler became a major distraction around the Timberwolves, he’s been a model citizen since joining the Sixers. And Philadelphia anticipates that its gamble will pay off in the long run in the form of a multi-year contract.

“Our goal is to have elite talent under contract for a long time,” Harris told Charania. “That’s what we’re interested in.”

Both reporters offered insights into the trade discussions involving Butler. The Sixers eventually agreed to deal Dario Saric, Robert Covington, Jerryd Bayless and a future second-rounder for Butler and throw-in Justin Patton.

The Timberwolves initially asked for another starter in addition to the trio the Sixers dealt, according to Zillgitt.
Minnesota narrowed its offers to three teams, with the Pelicans and Rockets being the other finalists, according to Charania. New Orleans dangled forward Nikola Mirotic and a first-round pick, while Houston was willing to part with guard Eric Gordon and two first-rounders.
The Sixers initially offered draft picks and other large contracts, Harris told Charania. Markelle Fultz was discussed in the Butler talks.
Other suitors, such as the Lakers, wanted to wait until the December 15th date when signed free agents could be included in a deal for Butler, Charania added.

Poll: Rockets’ Place In The West

November 18th, 2018 at 6:59pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

After struggling through an early 4-7 start to the season, the Rockets suddenly find themselves back over .500 and winners of four straight games. Those wins all came against teams .500 or better (Pacers, Nuggets, Warriors and Kings) and have showcased much-improved defense from the Rockets.

Much has been made about the removal of Carmelo Anthony from the rotation (and soon, the team entirely), and with the Rockets nearing full health, they have taken off in recent weeks. As a result of strong defensive play from unheralded rookie Gary Clark, along with both James Harden and Chris Paul getting into a groove, the Rockets have quietly been one of the best teams this month.

Since November 1, the Rockets own the league’s sixth ranked offense and seventh ranked defense, giving them a net rating of 6.7, good for fifth in the league. As a result of this strong play on both ends, they are 7-2 during this stretch and face a relatively easy schedule to end the month.

Another key development for the Rockets is that the top of the Western Conference hasn’t been all that consistent recently. The Warriors are dealing with some turmoil and the Trail Blazers have lost two straight games as they begin a road trip. In fact, at 8-7, the Rockets are just three games back of the first-seeded Warriors.

There’s a lot more time left in the season for all of the potential playoff teams in the West, but it certainly looks like the Rockets have finally found their footing and ideal rotation. They will likely make an additional move to add another piece to the puzzle at some point, and seem well positioned to compete for a top seed in the conference from this point on.

How do you think the Rockets will fare the rest of the season? Vote in the poll below and share your thoughts in the comment section!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Pacific Notes: Joerger, Anthony, Clippers, Bradley

November 18th, 2018 at 11:43am CST by Arthur Hill

Kings coach Dave Joerger sidestepped questions about his job status following Saturday’s game, relays Ali Thanawalla of NBC Sports. Joerger has Sacramento off to a surprising 8-8 start after last year’s 55-loss season, but a report last night suggested philosophical differences exist between the coach and front office regarding minutes for younger players.

“Well, usually, I would say, ‘I’d be happy to answer all your questions about tonight’s game,’ but in this case, I’m going to tell you that my focus is with our team,” Joerger said. “And coaching our team and getting better every single night. And we’ve got young guys, and they’re mixed with older guys, and go in there and rally them up.”

Joerger turned away follow-up questions about his job, saying, “I’m not going to get into that stuff.” He has a 67-113 record with the Kings and is signed through the end of next season.

There’s more news from the Pacific Division:

The Lakers have been rumored as a possible next stop for Carmelo Anthony, but LeBron James is refusing to comment on the possibility of adding one of his closest friends, writes Liam Blackburn of The Sporting News. “I have no idea, to be honest,” he said when asked about the chance to acquire Anthony. “We don’t even have a roster spot open right now, so that’s not a question for myself.”
After missing the playoffs last season, the Clippers are making a strong statement with a 10-5 start and will be in position to get even better next summer, notes Tom Ziller of SB Nation. The team is 5-1 since inserting rookie guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander into the starting lineup and ranks first in the league in opponents’ effective field goal percentage. With only five players signed beyond this season, L.A. could have up to $63MM in cap space in July, enough to offer two max contracts. However, Ziller states that the Clippers’ ultimate plan is to attract Kawhi Leonard, re-sign Tobias Harris and add a few complementary players around them.
The Clippers are expected to add another key piece tomorrow when Avery Bradley returns from an ankle injury, according to Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. “I still don’t feel like I’ve been able to get a consistent offensive flow here in this game and what I can bring to the team,” said Bradley, who has missed the past six games. “I still think there’s an area of shot-making that I can contribute to this team.”

Gary Clark's Emergence In Houston

November 17th, 2018 at 12:05pm CST by marksuleymanov

The emergence of Gary Clark has allowed the Rockets to move on from Carmelo Anthony as the 24-year-old has established himself as a key reserve on the Houston roster.

The Carmelo experiment did not work out in Houston and now the Rockets need to find a third key piece next to Chris Paul and James Harden to make a run, Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer writes. Massive extensions to Paul and Clint Capela zapped the Rockets of financial flexibility, but the team will need to find a player who can space the floor and play defense.

Why Rockets Aren’t Waiving Carmelo Immediately

November 16th, 2018 at 9:55am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets issued a somewhat unusual press release on Thursday, announcing that they were parting ways with Carmelo Anthony. While the announcement contained much of the same language that a typical press release on a waived player would, GM Daryl Morey said in his statement that the club is still “working toward a resolution” on the situation. In other words, “parted ways” isn’t actually a euphemism for “waived” in this case — Anthony is still technically on Houston’s roster, just not with the team.

While it may seem odd for the Rockets not to just request waivers on Anthony today and move on from the situation entirely, there are a handful of reasons why it makes sense for the team to hold off on such a move.

For one, waiving Carmelo could lead to an unfavorable outcome for either the Rockets or Anthony — if he goes unclaimed on waivers, Houston would be on the hook for his entire salary and the tax penalties that will come along with it. On the other hand, if Anthony is claimed off waivers, taking his contract off the Rockets’ books, he could end up being acquired by a team he has no interest in joining, eliminating his ability to pick his new club.

Although most players go unclaimed on waivers, Anthony’s contract is pretty claim-friendly. As we detailed on Thursday, the league’s waiver rules allow any team to use the minimum salary exception to place a claim on a player who is on a one-year, minimum salary contract. Only the Thunder and Hawks would face restrictions on Anthony, since they recently traded him and bought him out, respectively. Any other club could theoretically put in a claim.

Finding a trade partner willing to take on Anthony would be the easiest way to avoid waivers altogether and to create a win-win situation for the team and the player. The Rockets could send Anthony to a team he’s interested in joining and clear his contract from their cap at the same time, reducing their tax bill.

Meanwhile, Anthony’s new team wouldn’t have to match salaries, since Carmelo’s contract could be absorbed using the minimum salary exception. That team could also essentially give up nothing for the veteran forward – perhaps just a top-55 protected second-round pick – and might even be able to convince the Rockets to include a little cash, since Houston would still come out ahead by avoiding Anthony’s tax hit.

Unfortunately for the Rockets, NBA rules prevent Anthony from being traded for about another month, since players who sign as free agents in the offseason can’t be dealt until at least December 15. So if Houston hopes to go the trade route, it will be at least a few weeks before the situation is resolved.

Even if the Rockets can’t eventually find a trade partner for Anthony, there’s one more reason why it makes sense for the team to exercise some patience. Houston is currently carrying 14 players on its NBA roster, the league-mandated minimum. If the team dips down to 13 players, it would have two weeks to add a 14th man. So as soon as the Rockets release Anthony, that clock starts ticking.

With Anthony’s salary already locked in, barring a waiver claim, the Rockets aren’t increasing their projected tax bill by keeping him on the roster a few extra days or weeks. However, if they waived him, then had to sign another player within the next two weeks, that new player’s contract would help push the club’s tax bill higher.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rockets To Part Ways With Carmelo Anthony

November 15th, 2018 at 4:11pm CST by JD Shaw

The Rockets are officially moving on from veteran forward Carmelo Anthony, the team announced in a press release on Thursday.

Despite parting ways with Anthony, there are no immediate plans for him to be placed on waivers, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports. Houston will allow him to remain on the roster, giving his reps the chance to explore possible teams for the 12-time NBA All-Star to join.

“After much internal discussion, the Rockets will be parting ways with Carmelo Anthony and we are working toward a resolution,” general manager Daryl Morey said. “Carmelo had a tremendous approach during his time with the Rockets and accepted every role head coach Mike D’Antoni gave him. The fit we envisioned when Carmelo chose to sign with the Rockets has not materialized, therefore we thought it was best to move on as any other outcome would have been unfair to him.”

Anthony joined the Rockets with hopes of providing frontcourt depth on a contending roster, but his role gradually changed after the first two weeks of the season. That proposed role didn’t fit in the eyes of Anthony, who would’ve surrendered significant minutes on the team.

“It wasn’t fair for him as a Hall of Fame player to play in a role that wasn’t good for him,” head coach Mike D’Antoni said, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). “It wasn’t a fit.”

Teams like the Lakers, Pelicans and Trail Blazers could be interested in Carmelo, according to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor. A separate report from Marc Spears of The Undefeated suggests the 76ers and Heat may also have interest, but that the Lakers are done making signings in the short term.

Anthony, 34, is in his 16th NBA season. He appeared in just 10 games with the Rockets after signing a free-agent deal to join the team in the summer, averaging 13.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and a career-low 29.4 minutes per contest.

NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Southwest Division

November 15th, 2018 at 12:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the course of the 2018/19 NBA season, up until February’s trade deadline, we’re keeping an eye on potential trade candidates from around the NBA, monitoring their value and exploring the likelihood that they’ll be moved. Each of these looks at possible trade candidates focuses on a specific division, as we zero in on three players from that division.

Only one Southwest team currently ranks in the top eight in the West, and it’s the last club that many of us would’ve predicted to make the postseason coming into the season (the Grizzlies). Still, the Rockets, Spurs, Pelicans, and Mavericks remain in the playoff hunt, meaning it may be a while before we get a clear sense of which clubs in this division will be buyers and which will be sellers.

Here’s our early-season look at a few possible trade candidates from the Southwest…

Wesley Matthews, G/F
Dallas Mavericks
$18.62MM cap hit; unrestricted free agent in 2019

Matthews’ potential availability will hinge on how the Mavericks perform as a team over the next couple months. The veteran wing was considered a trade candidate last season, but the Mavs – knowing he’d be a key part of their lineup if they made a postseason push in 2019 – placed a high price tag on him.

With Matthews’ contract set to expire at the end of this season, Dallas will have less incentive to hang onto the 32-year-old if this season goes south. With 16.2 PPG and a .382 3PT% so far this season, Matthews looks a little more like the player he was in Portland, and he’d have value to a contender.

Matthews’ cap charge will be the most significant roadblock if the Mavs explore the trade market — it will be hard to find a team that can match his salary without including a multiyear contract or two. Dallas’ willingness to take on multiyear money would likely hinge on how much that player could help them going forward — or the value of the other assets included in such a deal.

Solomon Hill, F
New Orleans Pelicans
$12.25MM cap hit; guaranteed $12.79MM salary for 2019/20

With Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday leading their frontcourt and backcourt, respectively, the Pelicans‘ primary hole is on the wing, where they could badly use a versatile three-and-D swingman. Hill, who hasn’t evolved into that player, may have the contract necessary to bring back that sort of piece on the trade market.

With two years left on his deal, Hill matches up well with someone like Courtney Lee, who has a similar contract. His salary could also be put toward matching that of a higher-paid player like Kent Bazemore, who is earning about $18MM.

The Pelicans have shown a willingness to trade their first-round picks frequently in recent years, and it seems likely they’ll be open to doing so again this year, as they look to convince Davis they’re capable of contending. Attaching that first-rounder to Hill could net the Pelicans a reliable contributor in a deal similar to last year’s swap of Omer Asik and a first-round pick for Nikola Mirotic.

Marquese Chriss, F/C
Houston Rockets
$3.21MM cap hit; unrestricted free agent in 2019

Like the Pelicans, the Rockets could use another wing or two, and they also have an expendable player (Brandon Knight) with about two years and $30MM left on his contract, which could be used in a deal. Rather than essentially making the same case for Knight as a trade candidate that we just did for Hill, let’s focus instead on another Houston trade candidate: Chriss.

A former eighth overall pick, Chriss has seen his stock crater over the last couple years. The Suns gave up on him, the Rockets have barely played him, and Houston also turned down his fourth-year option for 2019/20, setting him up to be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.

Chriss’ situation is reminiscent of Jahlil Okafor‘s a year ago. In Okafor’s case, the Nets took a flier on him, acquiring him from Philadelphia in a December deal. If there’s a team out there willing to take a chance on Chriss in a similar trade – perhaps surrendering a veteran that would help the Rockets more in the short term – I don’t think Houston would hesitate to make a move.

Previously:

NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Central (10/25)
NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Atlantic (10/31)
NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Southeast (11/6)
NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Northwest (11/8)

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.