Houston Rockets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Carmelo, Cousins, Faried, DSJ

January 22nd, 2019 at 12:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The Carmelo Anthony trade between the Rockets and Bulls is still expected to get done at some point soon, but the trade call has yet to take place, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times. According to Stein, the deal may have to be amended due to a discrepancy involving the rights to a draft-and-stash player.

In addition to receiving Anthony and cash in the trade, the Bulls are also expected to receive the rights to Marko Todorovic, while the Rockets receive Tadija Dragicevic‘s rights, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. However, according to Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), the NBA has made an effort to crack down on swaps that include a player who aren’t expected to ever come stateside. It’s not clear if those efforts will impact what the Rockets/Bulls swap ultimately looks like.

Let’s round up a few more items from out of the Southwest…

Within an article about DeMarcus Cousins‘ free agency and his debut with Golden State, the big man admits to Shams Charania of The Athletic that he hasn’t forgotten about how his time with the Pelicans playing alongside Anthony Davis ended. “I think about our pairing all the time,” Cousins said. “Me and A.D. talk about it. It’s f—ed up. It could’ve been something great, something special, but other people had different things in mind. That’s out of our control, and you never know what’ll happen later on down the line.”
After sitting on the bench in Denver and Brooklyn, Kenneth Faried is happy to have an opportunity to play an actual role for the Rockets, as Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle details. “The coaches and team believe in me,” Faried said. “They want me to come out and do what I do. I’m excited to be here.”
The Mavericks are listing Dennis Smith Jr. as a probable starter for his return game tonight, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, who tweets that the club never discussed a possible move to the bench with Smith before his sabbatical.
Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic has been fined $10K for kicking the game ball into the stands during Saturday’s game, the NBA announced today in a press release.

Luxury Tax Bill Would Drop With Carmelo Trade

January 21st, 2019 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets will improve their luxury tax situation if the proposed trade of Carmelo Anthony to the Bulls goes through, Bobby Marks of ESPN notes. Houston started the day with a projected luxury tax bill of $13.9MM but will see that number drop to $12.4MM if the trade becomes official. It will also create a $1.5MM trade exception and open up a roster spot. Big man Kenneth Faried, signed earlier in the day, will earn $917,271 with the Rockets incurring a $683,661 cap hit.

Rockets Release James Nunnally

January 21st, 2019 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

5:00pm: The Rockets have officially waived Nunnally, the team confirmed in a press release announcing the signing of Faried.

4:01pm: The Rockets will terminate James Nunnally‘s 10-day deal early, releasing him before the contract expires, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. As Charania notes, cutting Nunnally will allow Houston to finalize its signing of Kenneth Faried tonight.

Nunnally, 28, reportedly turned down lucrative offers from international teams to sign a 10-day contract with the Rockets last Thursday. With Houston in need of help on the wing, the veteran sharpshooter immediately claimed a rotation role, averaging 19 minutes per game in two contests with the club. However, he struggled to make an impact, making just 3-of-13 shots from the floor, including 3-of-12 from beyond the arc.

Parting ways with Nunnally was the simplest way for the Rockets to open up a roster spot to sign Faried. The club’s other option would have been to trade or release Carmelo Anthony, but it appears a viable trade involving Anthony has yet to materialize. Houston would like to avoid cutting Anthony outright, since trading him would reduce the team’s projected tax bill.

As for Nunnally, he’ll get paid for the full 10 days, even though his 10-day contract is being terminated on day six. The Rockets could bring back the 28-year-old swingman later in the season if a roster spot opens up, but if there are no NBA opportunities out there for him right away, Nunnally might end up returning to Europe, where he has thrived in recent years.

Rockets To Trade Carmelo Anthony To Bulls

January 21st, 2019 at 4:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets have agreed to trade Carmelo Anthony and cash to the Bulls, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

Chicago will not acquire the longtime All-Star for the purpose of playing him, Wojnarowski adds in a follow-up tweet. He could be released quickly but it’s possible that franchise will hold off on waiving him until the trade deadline. That would allow the Bulls to seek a trade, though they can’t aggregate his contract in another deal.

The Bulls have an open roster space, allowing them to add Anthony without dropping another player. The cost for picking up Anthony’s salary at this stage of the season is $675K. The cash received from Houston will more than cover the cost, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets.

Anthony will be better off waiting until the trade deadline to hook onto a new club if Chicago doesn’t move him. Anthony wants to find a place where he can make an impact and that opportunity could be created by waiting for trades to happen and roster spots to open up, Wojnarowski adds (Twitter link).

There has been plenty of speculation where Anthony might ultimately end up this season, including the possibility of joining forces with good friend LeBron James in Los Angeles. The Lakers have some interest, according to Wojnarowski, but they have a full roster and don’t want to cut loose a guaranteed contract to pick him up (Twitter link).

Houston announced in mid-November its intention to part ways with Anthony and he’s been in limbo the past two months, occupying a roster spot without being an active participant.

The Rockets have been seeking to trade him rather than releasing him outright. Moving him to the Bulls takes the team off the hook for the tax penalties associated with his $1.51MM cap hit.

Anthony averaged 13.4 PPG and 5.4 RPG in 10 games with the Rockets.

Rockets Rumors: Faried, Carmelo, House

January 21st, 2019 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

With Kenneth Faried poised to join the Rockets once he clears waivers, Houston may finally get the type of backup big man it has long been seeking. As Kelly Iko of The Athletic explains, the Rockets hoped that Brandan Wright – and then Marquese Chriss – would be the sort of athletic big who could roll to the rim, catch lobs, and rebound for the second unit. Health issues sidelined Wright, and Chriss hasn’t been a great fit, so the Rockets will try their luck with Faried.

Adding Faried will also address Houston’s frontcourt depth for the time being, meaning the team can shift its focus back to the wing as the trade deadline approaches. Iko identifies a number of potential trade targets for the Rockets, so his article is worth checking out in full for those suggestions.

While a trade remains the preferred outcome for both the Rockets and Carmelo Anthony, a buyout “isn’t off the table,” league sources tell Iko. Iko names the Lakers, Heat, and Pistons as teams that could be willing to take a chance on Anthony.
According to Iko, Danuel House‘s representatives were interested in a deal that would have paid House a “significant chunk” of the Rockets‘ mid-level exception. “He essentially wants to get paid like a top-seven pick,” one source said of House. As of today, Houston should have about $3.64MM of its MLE left, though that number declines a little every day. Iko notes that GM Daryl Morey wants to hang onto that exception for flexibility. I explored House’s stalemate with the Rockets right here.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/20/19

January 20th, 2019 at 8:01pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

Here are Sunday’s NBA G League assignments and recalls from across the league:

The Magic have recalled rookie wing Melvin Frazier from their G League affiliate, according to a tweet from the team’s PR department. Frazier has appeared in just 3 games for the Magic so far this season.
The Rockets have assigned center Isaiah Hartenstein to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. This was done ahead of the team’s expected signing of Kenneth Faried on Monday.
The Trail Blazers announced in a press release that they have recalled Wade Baldwin and assigned both Anfernee Simons and Gary Trent to the G League.
The Spurs have recalled rookies Lonnie Walker and Chimezie Metu from their G League affiliate in Austin, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express (via Twitter).

Capela Injury Won't Affect Nene's Playing Time

January 19th, 2019 at 10:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Rockets won’t ask Nene to play more minutes with starting center Clint Capela sidelined after thumb surgery, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. The team expects to bolster its frontcourt by signing Kenneth Faried once he clears waivers Monday. “Coach has a plan,” Nene said. “We have other big men. We have young big men, too. They will get those minutes. Coach will decide when I am going to play.”

Central Notes: Lopez, Anthony, Burks, Bledsoe

January 19th, 2019 at 5:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

The thumb injury that will sideline Wendell Carter Jr. for the next eight to 12 weeks won’t change the Bulls‘ plans to trade veteran center Robin Lopez, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Even though a deal would leave Chicago short-handed in the middle the team, the team could give more minutes to Cristiano Felicio or get by with a small lineup until Carter returns.

With an expiring $14.3MM contract, Lopez is unlikely to return to the Bulls next season and management wants to get something now by shipping him to a contender. Relegated to a reserve role, Lopez’s numbers are about half of what they were last season, averaging 5.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.

The Bulls will continue to look for deals involving Jabari Parker as well, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). Parker recently returned to the rotation after being exiled when Jim Boylen took over as head coach, but Chicago reportedly made no progress in working out a Parker trade while he wasn’t playing.

There’s more from the Central Division:

The Pistons had internal discussions about acquiring Carmelo Anthony, but decided not to pursue him, tweets Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. There were reports yesterday that Anthony, who remains on the Rockets’ roster although he hasn’t played in more than two months, has multiple options for his next location. Houston needs to open a roster spot before signing Kenneth Faried, so the team may have some urgency to get the Anthony situation resolved soon.
Alec Burks wasn’t sure if the Cavaliers planned to keep him when they acquired him from the Jazz in November but he says the experience in Cleveland has been positive, relays Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Burks’ playing time has increased with the Cavs and he has become the team’s top perimeter defender. “I would say there’s more opportunity here, definitely,” he said before Friday’s return to Utah. “I think it’s been great. Been up and down. Still going to be up and down I feel like just trying to find a rhythm. But it’s getting better and better. I’m adjusting more and more every day.”
Andrew Sharp of Sports Illustrated examines the impact that point guard Eric Bledsoe is having in his first full season with the Bucks.

Nets Waive Kenneth Faried Ahead Of Rockets Deal

January 19th, 2019 at 9:50am CST by marksuleymanov

The Nets have requested waivers on veteran big man Kenneth Faried, the team announced in a press release on Saturday. Faried is expected to sign with the Rockets upon clearing waivers, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Friday.

Faried – who has a $13.7MM salary – is expected to clear waivers on Monday, per Wojnarowski. The Rockets will need to clear a roster spot for Faried and the team is reportedly ramping up efforts to trade Carmelo Anthony. Anthony, who still technically occupies a spot on the Rockets’ roster, reportedly has multiple options and will land with a new team.

Once his deal with Houston is complete, the team plans to insert Faried into the lineup for significant minutes to offset the absence of Clint Capela. Capela will miss four to six weeks after undergoing surgery for a torn ligament in his right thumb.

In 12 games this season with Brooklyn, Faried averaged 5.1 PPG and 3.7 RPG in 9.8 minutes per contest. Brooklyn acquired Faried, Darrell Arthur, a protected 2019 first round draft pick and a 2020 second-round draft pick for Isaiah Whitehead this past summer.

NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Southwest Division

January 18th, 2019 at 4:00pm 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.

Southwest trade candidates like Dennis Smith, Wesley Matthews, and Carmelo Anthony have been in the news lately, but we’ve discussed them in previous installments of our Trade Candidate series. Today, we’ll be focusing on a few players who haven’t necessarily been at the center of recent trade rumors, but still could very well be on the move by February 7.

Here’s our latest look at a few possible trade candidates from the Southwest…

Brandon Knight, G
Houston Rockets
$14.63MM cap hit; $15.64MM guaranteed salary in 2019/20; UFA in 2020

Knight has essentially been on the trade block since the Rockets acquired him from Phoenix during the offseason, with a December report suggesting that Houston is dangling Knight in trade talks for a wing.

Knight’s appeal as a trade chip from Houston’s perspective is obvious. Of the team’s six players earning more than $4MM this season, he’s the only one who isn’t a key contributor. His $14.63MM salary is ideal for matching purposes, and getting his $15.64MM salary for 2019/20 off the books could help the Rockets avoid another big tax penalty next season.

Of course, Knight’s appeal to other teams will be… limited. While he has returned from the ACL tear that sidelined him for over a year, he continues to be bothered by knee issues and hasn’t looked good for Houston in the 12 games he has played (3.0 PPG on .234/.156/.818 shooting). If a team agrees to take on Knight’s contract in exchange for a solid rotation player, that team will almost certainly be receiving the Rockets’ 2019 first-round pick as well.

Julius Randle, F/C
New Orleans Pelicans
$8.64MM cap hit; $9.07MM player option for 2019/20

Like the Rockets, the Pelicans are exploring upgrades on the wing and will likely try to attach a first-round pick to an overpriced veteran (Solomon Hill) to accommodate a deal. Still, even though that’s New Orleans’ most obvious trade package, it’s not the team’s only option.

Depending on what sort of player the club is pursuing, making Randle available could make sense. On the surface, trading him doesn’t seem prudent — he’s had a terrific year (20.1 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 2.9 APG), and is one of a handful of reliable pieces on a Pelicans team that lacks depth.

Still, he’ll likely be a free agent at season’s end, and there’s no guarantee the Pelicans will be able to re-sign him. It’s also unclear if he’ll be able to play at the same time Anthony Davis and Nikola Mirotic in the postseason, assuming New Orleans makes it — that lineup would be awfully big and wouldn’t match up well against many of the team’s potential opponents.

As such, I think the Pelicans could explore flipping Randle for one or two players who could help the team in the short term, especially if one of those players is a wing who would fit better alongside Davis and Mirotic. New Orleans showed last spring that it can win with that frontcourt duo, so Randle looks to me like the most expendable of the club’s top four or five players.

JaMychal Green, F
Memphis Grizzlies
$7.67MM cap hit; UFA in 2019

It seems hard to believe that the Grizzlies were, briefly, the No. 1 seed in the West less than two months ago. The club now ranks 14th in the conference and while head coach J.B. Bickerstaff says the postseason is still the goal, it seems irresponsible for the club to continue acting as a buyer.

A full-fledged fire sale is probably unrealistic too, since it would be an abrupt change of direction for the franchise in the span of a few weeks. But, as Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian recently wrote, some smaller-scale “strategic” selling seems possible.

If Memphis takes that route, Green would be an obvious candidate to be dealt. The veteran power forward is in the final year of a mid-level type contract and is putting up career-high numbers in several categories (10.8 PPG, .512 FG%, .397 3PT%). Moving him would also clear a path for the Grizzlies to feature promising rookie Jaren Jackson Jr. in a more prominent role down the stretch.

Green is unlikely to inspire a bidding war, but teams in need of one more frontcourt piece should have some interest if the Grizzlies make him available.

Previously:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.