Houston Rockets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Capela's Incentives Are Mostly Reachable

August 14th, 2018 at 7:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Clint Capela‘s five-year contract with the Rockets includes $1.5MM in yearly incentives that he’s likely to reach and another $500K in yearly incentives he’s unlikely to attain, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports.

As previously noted, Capela’s $90MM is technically guaranteed for $80MM with $10MM in incentives. He’ll receive $1MM annually if he plays 2,000 minutes or if the Rockets make the Western Conference Finals. He also has a $500K annual incentive for reaching 2,000 minutes played and a defensive rebound percent greater than 30 percent. Pincus considers those incentives well within reach. As a point of reference, Capela logged 2,034 minutes in 74 regular-season games last season with a defensive rebounding percentage of 30.8.

Rockets star and league MVP James Harden is under investigation by Scottdale, Ariz. police over a nightclub incident, BrieAnna J Frank of the Arizona Republic reports. According to a TMZ report that Frank relayed, a woman was recording a scuffle involving someone in Harden’s entourage. Harden then alleged grabbed the woman’s phone and threw it onto a roof so she couldn’t sell the video footage.

D’Antoni Unsure Of Rotation With Carmelo In Mix

August 13th, 2018 at 9:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni isn’t sure how his rotation will look with the addition of Carmelo Anthony, he acknowledged to Sam Amick of USA Today. Anthony officially signed with Houston on Monday but D’Antoni said it’s too simplistic to think he’ll just plug Anthony into Trevor Ariza‘s former spot in the starting lineup.

“I don’t know, and that’s something that we’ll have to work out. All I know is that we’ll try different combos — preseason, early season, and the good thing is that with analytics and with gut feelings and coaches and players, we’ll figure out what is the best way to play.”

There’s more from Amick’s Q&A with D’Antoni:

Anthony and D’Antoni had some differences in New York when D’Antoni coached the Knicks. D’Antoni isn’t worried about a repeat in Houston. “In New York, when they gave away half the team [to Denver in the February 2011 trade] and everybody expected us to win a championship, it really wasn’t realistic. It put a lot of pressure on everybody, and it kind of burst the pipes. I think this is totally different.”
D’Antoni feels confident that Anthony will fit in with the team’s other two stars, reigning Most Valuable Player James Harden and Chris Paul. D’Antoni noted that many people thought Harden and Paul couldn’t mesh when Paul was acquired last summer. “It’s like having Chris and James together. It was relatively non-eventful …and I think it’ll be the same thing. … We’ve just got to make sure we don’t get too far away from taking threes and layups and foul shots.”
Continuing with that theme, D’Antoni said Houston is fighting fire with fire, trying to keep up with the star-laded Warriors. “Look at Golden State, how they had all those guys and you fit in [Kevin] Durant, I mean if you are committed to a certain style, and everybody is committed to the team, it works itself out.”

Rockets Sign Carmelo Anthony

August 13th, 2018 at 12:21pm CST by clarkcrum

AUGUST 13, 12:21pm: Rockets general manager Daryl Morey has published a tweet welcoming Anthony to Houston, signaling that the signing is now official.

AUGUST 13, 8:21am: Anthony has traveled to Houston and is completing his physical on Monday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who tweets that the veteran forward should finally make his deal with the Rockets official today.

AUGUST 7, 4:17pm: Carmelo Anthony has verbally agreed to sign with the Rockets, league sources tell Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. Anthony already made his plans known a few weeks back, but he still needed to be officially traded and waived before he could make a final decision.

Anthony reportedly drew interest from the Heat in addition to the Rockets, but Houston has always been seen as the frontrunner ever since it became public knowledge that the working relationship between Anthony and the Thunder was beyond repair.

The 34-year-old forward, who has long made it known that he sees himself as a starter in the NBA, will presumably get the chance to show he’s right after Houston lost both Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute in free agency.

Anthony will reportedly sign a one-year, veteran’s minimum salary, leaving the Rockets with the remainder of their mid-level exception to use elsewhere.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2018 NBA Draft-And-Stash Signings

August 13th, 2018 at 11:09am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent signees, trade acquisitions, and 2018 draftees are the most common additions to NBA rosters this summer. However, a small number of players will come via the draft-and-stash route, as teams bring aboard players drafted in previous years.

While players who were previously selected in the second round of a draft are free to sign any type of contract via cap room or exceptions, first-round draftees are limited to the 2018 rookie scale, unless it has been more than three years since they were selected. It doesn’t seem that will apply to any draft-and-stash signings in 2018, as former first-rounders like Anzejs Pasecniks (Sixers, 2017) aren’t coming stateside.

Listed below are the draft-and-stash prospects who have signed so far this offseason, with contract details noted. If and when more teams add draft-and-stash players, we’ll update this list, which can be found at anytime on the right-hand sidebar of our desktop site under “Hoops Rumors Features,” or in the “Features” page in our mobile menu.

Houston Rockets

Isaiah Hartenstein, PF (2017 draft; No. 43): A second-round pick last summer, Hartenstein signed a G League contract after being drafted, allowing the Rockets to retain his NBA rights while they got a closer look at him with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. The big man didn’t put up huge numbers in the G League (9.5 PPG and 6.6 RPG in 38 games), but the Rockets will move him to the NBA roster as they continue to work on his development.
- Contract: Three years, minimum salary ($3,919,177). Fully guaranteed in year one. Last two years non-guaranteed. Signed using portion of taxpayer mid-level exception.
Alessandro Gentile, G/F (2014 draft; No. 53): Gentile signed his mandatory second-rounder tender from the Rockets, but wasn’t in the club’s plans and was quickly released.
- Contract: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed. Subsequently waived.

Philadelphia 76ers

Jonah Bolden, PF (2017 draft; No. 36): The Sixers‘ roster was overloaded with young players in 2017/18, so it made sense for Bolden – who already had international experience – to remain overseas, seeing minutes for Maccabi Tel Aviv, a high-caliber EuroLeague squad. The plan for Bolden was always to join the 76ers after a year, and that didn’t change when the team’s front office underwent an unexpected overhaul this offseason — Bolden officially signed on July 25.
- Contract: Four years, $7,000,000. Fully guaranteed in years one and two. Last two years non-guaranteed. Signed using cap room.

San Antonio Spurs

Jaron Blossomgame, F (2017 draft; No. 59): Blossomgame was a standout for the Spurs’ G League affiliate in Austin during the 2017/18 season, helping lead the club to an NBAGL title. That performance, along with an impressive showing in Summer League play, earned him a camp invite from San Antonio.
- Contract: One year, minimum salary. Exhibit 10. Subsequently waived.
Olivier Hanlan, G (2015 draft; No. 42): Acquired from the Jazz in a 2016 trade, Hanlan remained overseas for a second season before joining the Austin Spurs in 2017. Like Blossomgame, he was a started for the squad that won the G League championship in 2017/18, and like Blossomgame, it earned him a chance to join the Spurs in camp.
- Contract: One year, minimum salary. Exhibit 10. Subsequently waived.

Four 2018 NBA Draftees Remain Unsigned

August 12th, 2018 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

With Thunder second-rounder Devon Hall set to spend the upcoming season playing in Australia, 56 of 60 players selected in the 2018 NBA draft have now made plans – in the NBA or elsewhere – for the 2018/19 campaign.

As our 2018 draft pick signing tracker shows, that leaves four players whose status for 2018/19 has yet to be reported or announced. Here’s what we know – or can deduce – about those four rookies:

Justin Jackson (Magic): According to our roster counts, the Magic have used both of their two-way contract slots and have 16 players on NBA contracts. However, only 14 of those NBA deals are fully guaranteed, meaning there could be a path for Jackson to claim the 15th spot. Still, Isaiah Briscoe looks like he’ll have an opportunity to make the team despite not having a guaranteed salary. Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel expects Jackson, who is coming off a major shoulder injury, to spend the 2018/19 season with the Lakeland Magic, so perhaps he’ll sign a G League contract with an eye toward joining Orlando’s 15-man squad in 2019.
De’Anthony Melton (Rockets): The Rockets only have 10 players on fully guaranteed salaries, meaning there’s plenty of room for Melton to join the mix. It’s possible Houston is waiting to sign Melton in order to keep him trade-eligible — as soon as he signs, he can’t be dealt for one month, and the Rockets may want to keep their options open as they scour the market for a wing player. Assuming Melton remains with the Rockets, they’ll likely lock him up for at least three years using part of the taxpayer mid-level exception, like they did with Isaiah Hartenstein.
Chimezie Metu (Spurs): The Spurs have a lone opening on their projected 15-man roster, with 14 players on guaranteed deals. It’s possible Metu could slot into that spot, but he’s not the only option. Former two-way player Darrun Hilliard is a candidate to be promoted to a standard NBA contract, and 2017 second-rounder Jaron Blossomgame could also be signed. The Spurs are very comfortable stashing draft picks, as they currently retain the NBA rights to 11 players who aren’t playing in the NBA. We’ll see if Metu becomes the 12th or if the Spurs held onto part of their mid-level exception this summer in order to sign him to a long-term deal.
Kevin Hervey (Thunder): Hall’s move overseas looks like it could be good news for Hervey. The Thunder have 15 players on guaranteed contracts, leaving no clear path to OKC’s regular season roster, but the club only has Deonte Burton on a two-way deal. That leaves the Thunder’s other two-way contract slot open, and it would make sense for Hervey to fill it, as four other 2018 draftees in the 54-60 range have inked two-way deals so far this summer.

Chris Paul Wasn’t Worried About Losing Clint Capela

August 12th, 2018 at 12:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

Even though it took nearly a month for the Rockets to re-sign Clint Capela, teammate Chris Paul said he was never concerned about losing the team’s starting center, relays Ashish Mathur of AmicoHoops.

Paul made the remarks in a recent interview on NBA TV, saying that although there was speculation Capela might sign elsewhere, he knew that conditions favored a return to Houston.

“It was good and well, but I mean I guess for the fans in the basketball world they probably don’t understand, we knew he wasn’t going nowhere,” Paul said. “You know what I mean? Like if you think about it, he was a restricted free agent. Clint wasn’t going nowhere.”

The Rockets could have matched any offer that Capela received, but none ever materialized. There was a feeling around the league that Houston was a lock to match anything short of a max contract, and two potential bidders filled their needs at center when the Suns drafted Deandre Ayton and the Mavericks signed DeAndre Jordan.

Capela could have opted to accept the Rockets’ qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent next summer, but the parties were able to agree to a five-year, $90MM contract on July 27.

Capela is coming off his best statistical season, averaging 13.9 points and 10.8 rebounds in 74 games. Not only is he the anchor of the Rockets’ interior defense, he provides a perfect pick-and-roll partner for Paul and league MVP James Harden.

Rockets Sign Rookie Guard Rob Gray

August 10th, 2018 at 5:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets have signed undrafted rookie guard Rob Gray, according to a team press release.

The terms were not announced but Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets that it’s a training camp deal.

The 6’1” Gray averaged 18.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 3.0 APG and 1.2 SPG in his three college seasons with the University of Houston. He’s the American Athletic Conference’s all-time leading scorer with 1,710 points.

Gray, who saw brief action with the team’s summer league squad in Las Vegas, scored a combined 62 points in two NCAA Tournament games in March, including 23-point, 10-rebound effort against national runner-up Michigan. Gray averaged 19.3 PPG, 4.4 APG and 3.7 RPG in his senior year.

Gray hinted right after the draft that he’d get a training-camp invite from the Rockets.

“I will be playing summer league/training camp with them trying to earn a roster spot for the upcoming season,” Gray said.

Additional Details On Chinanu Onuaku Trade

August 10th, 2018 at 1:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Chinanu Onuaku trade between the Mavericks and Rockets was a minor deal on the surface, but included some interesting details, as Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders relays (Twitter links). Dallas will have the right to swap the Warriors’ 2020 second-round pick for the Rockets’ 2020 second-rounder, but that Houston pick is top-39 protected. If it ends up falling within the protected range, the Mavs will instead receive $500K from the Rockets. Additionally, the $1,544,951 in cash Houston is sending the Mavs in the trade to cover Onuaku’s salary will be paid out in 17 installments over the next year.
Before James Nunnally signed with Minnesota, he drew “great” interest from the Pelicans, as well as some interest from the Rockets, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN (Twitter link).

Trade Rumors: Rockets, Bazemore, Hawks, Heat, Bucks

August 8th, 2018 at 10:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets reportedly remain in the market for at least one more wing player, even after reaching a deal with Carmelo Anthony, but Sam Amick of USA Today (Twitter link) hears that the team isn’t actively pursuing Hawks swingman Kent Bazemore.

According to Amick, Bazemore isn’t a major part of the Rockets’ discussions at this point. Amick suggests (via Twitter) that the Houston front office would have more interest in sending Ryan Anderson to the Heat in a deal that brings back a player like James Johnson or Tyler Johnson.

Of course, any Rockets offer would need to include additional compensation, such as a draft pick and/or a young player, to entice the Heat. Even then, it’s not clear if Miami would be interested in such a trade.

One team with apparent interest in dealing with the Rockets is Atlanta, according to Kelly Iko of RocketsWire (Twitter link). While Houston’s interest in Bazemore seems limited, Iko reports that the Hawks would be open to a trade if they could get a draft pick and a young player such as De’Anthony Melton in addition to Anderson. That asking price may be one reason why the Rockets’ interest in a Bazemore trade appears to have dissipated.

According to Iko (via Twitter), the Bucks have also contacted the Hawks about the possibility of acquiring Bazemore. New Milwaukee head coach Mike Budenholzer was in Atlanta with Bazemore, and Iko indicates the young wing would be open to reuniting with his former coach on a contender. Initial trade discussions between the Bucks and Hawks didn’t get far though, Iko notes.

Lakers At Warriors To Highlight Christmas Day

August 8th, 2018 at 8:10am CST by clarkcrum

AUGUST 8, 8:10am: The Rockets will host the Thunder to round out the Christmas Day schedule, tweets ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

AUGUST 7, 8:02pm: Some of the more popular games of the 2018/19 NBA schedule will be announced tomorrow at 2:00pm EST. At that time, the NBA will announce the schedule for the opening week of the 2018/19 regular season along with the slate of games for Christmas Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

However, Marc Stein of The New York Times is already reporting matchups for three of the Christmas Day games. The Celtics will play the Sixers, the Knicks will host the Bucks, and the new-look Lakers will travel to Oakland to take on the Warriors. Chris Haynes of ESPN is also reporting that the Jazz will host the Trail Blazers.

This will be the fourth consecutive season that a LeBron James-led team will face off against Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and the Warriors. James’ Cavaliers teams went 1-2 against Golden State over the last three seasons.