Houston Rockets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Free Agent Rumors: Gordon, Brewer, Favors

July 1st, 2018 at 6:02pm CST by Austin Kent

While the Magic plan to pursue a long-term deal with restricted free agent Aaron Gordon, another team to keep an eye on is the Lakers, Marc Spears of ESPN tweets.

It’s no surprise that Gordon, a 23-year-old fresh off of a career year with averages of 17.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, is generating interest in free agency but Zach Lowe of ESPN writes that Orlando may not have much pressure to go as high as the max to retain him.

The Lakers join a number of other teams apparently interested in poaching Gordon’s services, including the Pacers (story) and Kings (story).

The Rockets have scheduled a meeting with free agent wing James Nunnally, per international basketball reporter David Pick (Twitter link). Nunnally, who has also been linked to Portland and Minnesota, played for Turkish team Fenerbahce last season and knocked down 55% of his three-pointers in EuroLeague play, making him an interesting fit for Houston.
Having already been linked to several potential targets since the free agent period opened, the Timberwolves have also “planted seeds” with Corey Brewer and Davis Bertans, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). As Wolfson observes, Minnesota has made a habit in recent years of spreading a wide net in free agency, inquiring on dozens of players.
In a later tweet, Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News added that the Timberwolves have also checked in on Derrick Favors, Mike Scott, David Nwaba and Ian Clark.

Free Agency Notes: George, MCW, Booker, Parker

July 1st, 2018 at 3:46pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Thunder and Paul George agreed to a four-year deal worth $137MM at the start of free agency and according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the team will have the option to offer George an even bigger raise in two years.

Under the new CBA, the team can offer George an extension after the second anniversary of the deal, meaning PG13 can sign a four-year max deal in 2020 that locks him in for seven seasons. The total value of the potential seven-year pact would come in at an estimated $290MM based off of future salary cap projections.

The team’s ability to re-sign George was shocking to some, as many expected the 5-time All-Star to leave OKC for Los Angeles, a city he’s been linked to for quite some time. It’s possible that the team’s ability to offer the max extension at the halfway point of the four-year contract was part of George’s motivation to stick around, though that’s merely my speculation.

Here’s more from around the league:

The Rockets will meet with Michael Carter-Williams, league sources tell ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Twitter link). While Houston appears to be looking into ancillary parts for its team, the franchise hasn’t given up hope on pursuing LeBron James.
The Jazz and Pelicans have both expressed interest in Trevor Booker, Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype reports (Twitter link). The Wolves, Rockets, Knicks, and Spurs also have an eye on the big man.
The Bulls have interest in Jabari Parker, Kennedy tweets. Chicago is one of several teams expected to pursue the former No. 2 overall pick.
The Wolves are looking to sign Dante Cunningham, sources tell Chris Haynes of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Minnesota has eyes for a bevy of veteran free agents to fill it’s five open roster spots.

Lakers To Meet With Clint Capela

July 1st, 2018 at 1:51pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Lakers will meet with Clint Capela today, David Aldridge of NBA.com reports (Twitter link). Aldridge adds that the team is working on multiple scenarios in regard to its free agency planning.

The Rockets are also meeting with the big man today in Los Angeles. The center is widely expected to return to Houston, as the team has the ability to match an offer sheet he receives.

The five spot appears to be a position of priority for the Lakers, as they reached out to DeMarcus Cousins just hours after free agency began. While no date has been set, a formal meeting is expected to be held between the two parties.

President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson promised to bring top talent to the Lakers and he’s leaving no stone unturned in his quest to do so. However, the team has yet to reach an agreement with any of the top free agents. Los Angeles saw Paul George shun the franchise and though the Lakers are considered the favorites to land LeBron James, it’s no lock that he comes to town, as the Sixers are courting him and using the potential Kawhi Leonard pairing as a selling point.

Capela had his most efficient season to date during the 2017/18 campaign, making 65.2% of his attempts while sporting a player efficiency rating of 24.5. Only five players rank ahead of the 24-year-old in our 2018 Free Agency rankings.

Rockets Haven’t Given Up Hope On LeBron James Pursuit

July 1st, 2018 at 11:42am CST by ChrisCrouse

The Rockets have not given up hope on bringing LeBron James to Houston despite the overwhelming odds against it happening, Sam Amick of USA Today hears (Twitter link).

The Rockets don’t have the cap space to sign him nor the ability sign-and-trade for him without making subsequential moves should he desire anywhere near the max. The team has approximately $116MM on the books after the Chris Paul and Gerald Green agreements and it would be extremely tough to stay under the $129.8MM apron for the year with a sign-and-trade deal.

If there’s any GM in the league who can figure out a way to make LBJ-to-Houston happen should the 4-time MVP decide to join the club, it’s 2018 Executive of the Year Daryl Morey. Morey spent last summer orchestrating the Paul deal in a John Nashian series of events, overcoming a salary cap obstacle course to bring the point guard aboard.

Houston doesn’t have a meeting set up with James or his representatives. LBJ is currently in Los Angeles and his representatives are set to meet with the Sixers today. Philadelphia believes it has a real chance to win the Kawhi Leonard sweepstakes and will make that notion one of its top selling points during its pitch.

Sixers Notes: Ennis, Ilyasova, Bird, Milton

July 1st, 2018 at 10:50am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers have their eyes on free agent forward James Ennis, tweets ESPN’s Ian Begley, but landing him won’t be easy. Detroit owns Early Bird rights on Ennis and has made re-signing him a priority.

Ennis, 28, came to the Pistons at the trade deadline after beginning the season in Memphis. He was a part-time starter in Detroit and averaged 7.5 points per game. He earned a little more than $3MM this season.

The Rockets and Nets have also expressed interest in Ennis, according to Begley. The Pelicans would also like to sign him, but the growing interest may push him outside their price range, adds Scott Kushner of The Advocate (Twitter link). Ennis played nine games in New Orleans at the end of the 2015/16 season.

There’s more from Philadelphia on the first day of free agency:

The Sixers talked to veteran forward Ersan Ilyasova about a return before he signed a three-year, $21MM deal with the Bucks, according to Gery Woelful of The Racine Journal Times (Twitter link). The Lakers, Timberwolves and Raptors were other options for Ilyasova.
The Sixers are among the teams showing interest in Celtics shooting guard Jabari Bird, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe, who adds that the Wolves are also considering an offer. Bird was a two-way player for Boston this season, appearing in 13 NBA games and averaging 3.0 points in 8.0 minutes per night. He was a big scorer for the Celtics’ G League affiliate in Maine, posting a 19.3/5.8/2.7 line in 20 games. Boston submitted a qualifying offer this week, making Bird a restricted free agent.
Second-round pick Shake Milton will be held out of summer league play because of a stress fracture in his back, reports Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The team plans to re-evaluate him in three weeks. His injury occurred during pre-draft workouts.
Justin Anderson had surgery on his left leg due to recurring tibial stress syndrome, the team announced on its website. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks, then again in six to eight weeks. Anderson has spent the past season and a half in Philadelphia and appeared in 38 games this year.

Free Agent Rumors: LeBron, Capela, Pelicans, Hood

July 1st, 2018 at 1:59am CST by Luke Adams

While several key free agents – including Paul George and Chris Paul – reached agreements in the early hours of free agency, LeBron James wasn’t among that group. Still, there’s a little news on James.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (via Twitter), Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman spoke to both James and agent Rich Paul on the phone when free agency began. Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com first reported (via Twitter) that the discussion was expected to happen.

The specifics of that conversation aren’t known, but the Cavaliers are still believed to be in the mix to sign the summer’s top free agent, though the Lakers are widely considered favorites.

Here are a few more free agent updates from around the NBA:

The Rockets‘ front office will meet with Clint Capela and his representatives on Sunday in Los Angeles, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Capela figures to be Houston’s top priority in free agency now that the team has reached a deal with Chris Paul.
Pelicans GM Dell Demps has asked some of his current players to reach out to free agent Tyreke Evans about the possibility of returning to New Orleans, tweets John Martin of 92.9 ESPN. Evans would be a mid-level exception candidate for the Pels.
Rodney Hood received calls from approximately six teams early in free agency, sources tell Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Hood is a restricted free agent, so the Cavaliers can match any offer sheet he signs.
The Timberwolves, Rockets, Knicks, and Spurs have all shown interest in Trevor Booker, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype, who tweets that a return to the Pacers is also still in play for the veteran forward.
Tyrone Wallace, who spent last season on a two-way contract with the Clippers, has generated interest from about a half-dozen teams, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Wallace received a qualifying offer from the Clips, who will be able to match any offer sheet he signs.

Rockets Re-Sign Gerald Green

July 1st, 2018 at 12:04am CST by Luke Adams

JULY 10: The Rockets have officially re-signed Green, the team announced today in a press release.

JULY 1: Houston native Gerald Green will be returning to the Rockets for the 2018/19 season, per Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston (Twitter link). According to Berman, Green and the Rockets have reached an agreement on a one-year, minimum-salary contract.

Having played for eight teams in his NBA career since debuting in 2005, Green returned to his hometown for a second stint with the Rockets in 2017/18. He enjoyed a productive year for the West’s No. 1 seed, averaging 12.1 PPG and 3.2 RPG with a .407/.369/.850 shooting line in 41 games (22.7 MPG).

According to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link), the Rockets liked what Green brought to his role and “absolutely loved his attitude.”

Re-signing Green at an affordable rate is an important move for the Rockets, who will lose veteran forward Trevor Ariza to the Suns. Houston will also make an effort to bring back Luc Mbah a Moute, as well as Clint Capela. The club has already agreed to terms on a four-year, maximum-salary deal with Chris Paul.

As our chart of minimum salaries shows, Green’s new deal will pay him $2,393,887, though he’ll only count for $1,512,601 against Houston’s cap.

Jabari Parker Likely To Leave Bucks?

June 30th, 2018 at 1:04pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Kings are just one of the teams expected to make a run at Jabari Parker, and some executives within the league view the former No. 2 overall pick to be among the small tier of players below stars such as LeBron James and Paul George.

“Hey, he’s a good player; I mean he’s a really good player,’’ an NBA executive told Gary Woelfel (via Woelfel’s Press Box). “And he’s young.’’

Parker is a restricted free agent, meaning the Bucks can match any rival offer he receives. One longtime NBA executive expects the 23-year-old to see a rather lucrative deal.

“I think some teams will give him $20MM [per season] and there might be some teams that will make it tough on Milwaukee to match and offer him even more,’’ the NBA official tells Woelfel.

“I think Milwaukee would like to keep him for $16MM or something around that figure, trying to use his injury situation to their advantage. But there are teams that need a big-time scorer and nobody doubts he’s a big-time scorer.’’

Another NBA executive speculated that the Sixers could make an offer for Parker should they fail to land a bigger target like James, George or Kawhi Leonard. Woelfel names the Bulls, Jazz, Pacers, Hawks, Suns, and Nets as possibilities as well.

Other NBA executives who spoke with Woelfel believe a sign-and-trade is a more likely scenario for the combo forward. That route would be Milwaukee’s preference rather than being forced to decide between signing Parker to a player-friendly contract or losing him for nothing. “It’s no secret” that the Bucks would be open to receiving an upgrade at point guard or center in such an agreement, Woelfel adds.

The Rockets and Clippers are both high on Parker and could be possibilities if a sign-and-trade were to occur, though it would be hard for Houston to complete a deal and stay under the tax apron if the team retains its own key free agents. Los Angeles and Milwaukee had discussions about Parker at last year’s trade deadline.

Parker likes Milwaukee and he reportedly paid around $1.5MM to redo the warehouse he currently lives in, according to Woelfel’s sources. Those same sources tell the scribe that despite Parker being comfortable in his current situation, it’s more likely he leaves then stays.

“He loves the people there; he loves the city,” the source said. “But I don’t see him staying there. If you’re asking me, it’s 75-25 he goes to another team.’’

Many dominos, such as James coming out of his decision cave, are likely to fall before Parker inks his next contract with a source estimating that a deal won’t take place until late-July or early-August.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Rockets Extend Qualifying Offer To Clint Capela

June 29th, 2018 at 10:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets extended a qualifying offer to center Clint Capela, making him a restricted free agent, Keith Smith of RealGM tweets.

Capela’s qualifying offer is worth $4,749,591. The move was a mere formality, since Capela has emerged as their most important frontcourt component.

Capela averaged 13.9 PPG, 10.8 RPG and 1.9 BPG in his fourth season. He was a finalist for the league’s Most Improved Player award.

The Rockets might have an easier time than expected locking up Capela. There aren’t many teams who are both looking for a center and have enough cap room to put together a serious offer sheet. The Mavericks, who are in the market for a quality big man, have their sights set on DeAndre Jordan. The Suns were a possibility until they drafted Deandre Ayton.

The Rockets also gave two-way player Markel Brown a qualifying offer, making the 6’3” guard a restricted free agent as well.

Gerald Green To Meet With Rockets On July 1

June 29th, 2018 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent swingman Gerald Green will meet with the Rockets in Los Angeles on July 1, league sources tell Chris Haynes of ESPN.com (Twitter link). According to Haynes, Green will have multiple suitors.