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Rockets Sign Isaiah Canaan

October 24th, 2017 at 12:15pm CST by Luke Adams

12:38pm: Canaan and the Rockets have reached an agreement on a one-year, non-guaranteed contract, tweets Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders. The signing is now official, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

12:07pm: The lone opening on the Rockets’ 15-man NBA roster is expected to be filled soon, according to Chris Haynes of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that free agent point guard Isaiah Canaan intends to sign with Houston.

Canaan, 26, began his NBA career in Houston, joining the Rockets as the 34th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft. However, he was traded to the Sixers at the deadline in 2015, then joined the Bulls for the 2016/17 campaign after spending a season and a half in Philadelphia.

Although Canaan inked a two-year contract with the Bulls, he struggled in his first season with the team, averaging just 4.6 PPG and 0.9 APG on .364/.266/.909 shooting in 39 games. Chicago had a crowded depth chart at point guard and Canaan’s 2017/18 salary wasn’t fully guaranteed, so the Bulls cut him during the offseason. The Murray State product spent the preseason with the Thunder, but wasn’t able to crack the team’s regular season roster, heading back to the free agent market earlier this month.

When the Rockets and Canaan finalize their reported agreement, he’ll help provide some depth at the point guard spot while Chris Paul recovers from his knee injury. The Rockets indicated last week that Paul’s injury may be “day-to-day” or “week-to-week,” but if the club feels the need to add another point guard to the roster, it’s likely the latter.

Adding Canaan to the roster may also give the Rockets the flexibility to keep two-way players Demetrius Jackson and Briante Weber in the G League, rather than running their respective 45-day NBA clocks.

Rockets Sign Briante Weber To Two-Way Deal

October 24th, 2017 at 10:25am CST by Arthur Hill

OCTOBER 24: Weber’s two-way contract with the Rockets is now official, the team announced today (via Twitter). Weber will immediately report to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

OCTOBER 23: The Rockets will fill their second two-way slot by signing Briante Weber, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The deal includes a team option for 2018/19.

The defensive-minded point guard signed with the Lakers for training camp, but was waived just before the start of the regular season. L.A. had a two-way opening at the time, but elected to give it to Vander Blue.

Weber will report to Houston’s G League affiliate in Rio Grande Valley for the start of training camp today. The 24-year-old may get an early opportunity to prove himself with the Rockets as Chris Paul remains sidelined with a sore knee that is expected to keep him out of action for two to three more weeks.

Demetrius Jackson, also on a two-way contract, has been serving as the team’s backup point guard in Paul’s absence. As long as they are on two-way deals, both Weber and Jackson will be limited to 45 days apiece in the NBA, starting today.

The Rockets still have an open roster spot, but they don’t plan to fill it right away, sources tell Wojnarowski.

Weber has received opportunities with several NBA teams since going undrafted out of Virginia Commonwealth in 2015. He excelled in the G League and had brief stints with the Grizzlies, Heat, Warriors and Hornets. His longest stay with one team came in 13 games with Charlotte at the end of last season, when he averaged 3.8 points in about 12 minutes per night.

Rockets Assign Chinanu Onuaku, Troy Williams To G League

October 23rd, 2017 at 8:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets are one of those teams without an affiliate for 2017/18, which means their two-way players are headed to two different G League clubs. Denver announced today in a press release that Monte Morris will join the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets‘ affiliate, while Torrey Craig will play for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat‘s affiliate.

The Nuggets have assigned first-round pick Tyler Lydon to the G League too, according to the team. Lydon will head to the Rockets‘ affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, along with Morris.
While the Rockets are adding a pair of Denver players to their G League squad, they’ll also send a couple players from their own NBA roster to the Vipers, announcing today (via Twitter) that Chinanu Onuaku and Troy Williams are G-League-bound.

Harden To Shoulder Offensive Load Without Paul

October 22nd, 2017 at 10:56pm CST by Austin Kent

The Rockets brought in Chris Paul to ease the load on James Harden to initiate the offense every play down the court but that will have to change now that the veteran guard is expected to miss up to a month with a knee injury, Tim MacMahon of ESPN writes.

Suddenly the plan to ration Harden’s energy for late in the season has come crashing down. “That’s out the window,” Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni said.

Last season Harden averaged a 29.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 11.2 assists per game but appeared to be overworked toward the end of the season. The converted two-guard saw his playmaking skillset flourish under the tutelage of D’Antoni. This season, the Rockets were hoping to pick up where they left off as an offense but while preserving their franchise star’s health.

With Paul shelved, the Rockets will need to make sure that they build big enough leads to let reserve guard Bobby Brown come in and hold down the fort temporarily.

The Rockets have managed to win the first three games of their season but that doesn’t mean the offense is up to head coach Mike D’Antoni‘s standard. “Oh no, no, no,” D’Antoni told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “We got a lot of things we have to clean up. We’re not real sharp right now. I was just telling the guys the biggest thing is preseason was about 10 days shorter than [previously]. With the preseason, we played eight games. That would be a normal preseason schedule.“

Isaiah Hartenstein Joins Rockets’ G League Affiliate

October 22nd, 2017 at 2:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Isaiah Hartenstein, the Rockets’ lone 2017 draft pick, is among the players listed on the training camp roster for Houston’s G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Twitter link via Chris Reichert of 2 Ways & 10 Days).

After being selected with the 43rd overall pick in the 2017 draft, Hartenstein didn’t sign an NBA contract, with the Rockets opting not to carry him on their 15-man roster in his rookie season. Instead, it appears Hartenstein signed a straight G League contract, which will allow him to play for the Vipers without the Rockets losing his NBA rights.

The approach is similar to the one the Celtics took with second-round pick Abdel Nader a year ago. Although he wanted to sign an NBA contract, Nader agreed to ink a G League deal and joined the Maine Red Claws, with Boston hanging on to his NBA rights. Nader had an outstanding season for the Red Claws, earning All G League honors, and the C’s rewarded him this summer with a multiyear NBA contract that’s guaranteed for 2017/18.

Hartenstein, who is still just 19, spent most of his teenage years playing overseas in Germany and Lithuania, and was viewed as one of the top international prospects in this year’s draft. The seven-footer remains raw, but is viewed as a versatile big man who is capable of earning an NBA rotation spot in the coming years.

International basketball reporter David Pick first reported back in late July that the Rockets were expected to have Hartenstein play in the G League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

Texas Notes: Jackson, Smith Jr., Clavell, Leonard

October 22nd, 2017 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Rockets guard Demetrius Jackson can expect a lot of trips to and from Rio Grande Valley over the next few weeks, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Jackson, who is serving as the team’s backup point guard while Chris Paul is sidelined with soreness in his left knee, signed a two-way contract over the summer and is limited to 45 days in the NBA. Every day in Houston will count against that total once G League camps open tomorrow, so Jackson will be making repeated journeys to the Rockets’ affiliate.

Jackson played 17 minutes in Saturday’s win over the Mavericks, delivering four points, five rebounds and two assists. The Rockets may decide to convert his deal into a full NBA contract if Paul’s absence is prolonged and the team can’t find another point guard. “Definitely, a different confidence level after going back, reviewing the film, trying to grow from the positive and the negative,” Jackson said. “I definitely got some good looks. Just have to step up and knock those down.”

There’s more NBA news from the Lone Star State:

The left knee effusion suffered by Mavericks rookie Dennis Smith Jr. may not be as bad as it sounds, cautions Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. There is concern in Dallas because an effusion, which means swelling due to fluid building up in a joint, is what sidelined Dirk Nowitzki for two months in 2013. However, Sefko notes that Nowitzki was much older, and Smith played a lot in preseason without any knee issues.
The Mavericks are getting Gian Clavell, who also has a two-way contract, some NBA experience before G League camps begin, Sefko adds in the same piece. The rookie out of Puerto Rico got into games Friday and Saturday as the third-string point guard. Johnathan Motley, the team’s other two-way player, hasn’t appeared in a game yet.
There are indications that Spurs star Kawhi Leonard might return to action sooner than expected, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Leonard, who has been sidelined since training camp with quadriceps tendinopathy, traveled with the team to Chicago Saturday. “He’s progressing,” said coach Gregg Popovich. “I’ll just leave it at that.”

Jameer Nelson Clears Waivers, Drawing Interest

October 21st, 2017 at 1:56pm CST by Austin Kent

OCTOBER 21, 1:56pm: In addition to Houston, the Nets, Hornets, and Pelicans are all interested in Nelson, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Nelson is looking for an opportunity that will allow him to play a significant role this season, Woj adds (via Twitter).

All four teams linked to Nelson are dealing with injuries at the point guard position, with Jeremy Lin, Michael Carter-Williams, and Rajon Rondo currently sidelined for Brooklyn, Charlotte, and New Orleans, respectively.

OCTOBER 20, 5:19pm: Veteran point guard Jameer Nelson has cleared waivers after being released by the Nuggets and the 35-year-old has already been contacted by a number of NBA teams, Chris Haynes of ESPN tweets.

One possible landing spot for the 13-year vet is Houston. Given that the Rockets may be particularly cautious with Chris Paul‘s knee injury and potentially seek a temporary replacement, Nelson could possibly slot in until Paul fully recovers.

Haynes mentioned Houston specifically as one of the teams with whom Nelson’s representation has been in touch. The Rockets currently roster just 14 players, so they’d be able to add Nelson without any other moves.

What’s more, as Bobby Marks of ESPN writes, Houston is $2.8MM below the luxury tax, giving them just enough space to sign Nelson to a $2.3MM veteran’s minimum deal without consequence. That sort of deal would only count for a prorated portion of $1.471MM against the Rockets’ cap.

Latest On Chris Paul

October 21st, 2017 at 12:47pm CST by Austin Kent

OCTOBER 21, 12:47pm: Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni has confirmed that the Rockets are being cautious with Paul, as Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle details. D’Antoni said that CP3’s return date remains up in the air, as the point guard’s injury could be day-to-day or “week-to-week.”

“We’re going to make sure it’s 100% well,” D’Antoni said. “It’s hard to put a timetable on it. If it is (a month-long absence), it is. We’re equipped to win, anyway. Obviously, we want him back as soon as he can, but we’re not going to bring him back until he’s completely healthy because we don’t want him limping or not feeling it later on.”

OCTOBER 20, 4:15pm: After a less than stellar individual performance in the Rockets’ season opening win over the Warriors, Chris Paul sat out of Houston’s second game of the season earlier this week. Now, Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets, concerns about the guard’s knee could potentially sideline the 32-year-old for as much as a month.

While Stein adds that the Rockets will officially consider their offseason trade acquisition “day-to-day” after announcing that he’ll miss the club’s home opener on Saturday with a knee contusion, it’s expected that they’ll be particularly cautious with the guard considering that they have every intention of making a long playoff run.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Rockets are bracing for a “possible 2-to-4 week stretch” without their playmaker and have inquired with various agents about adding potential point guard support in the interim.

At full health, Paul is an undisputed superstar and enough of a shot in the arm to give Houston a serious chance of making noise in the crowded Western Conference, unfortunately, the veteran has already missed over 10 games in five of his 12 NBA seasons and appears to be on pace to make it six out of 13.

Paul averaged 18.1 points and 9.2 assists per game for the Clippers last season and was brought over to the Rockets in a blockbuster offseason deal.

Rockets' G League Affiliate Acquires R.J. Hunter

October 20th, 2017 at 3:26pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets‘ G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, sent a first-round pick to the Long Island Nets in exchange for R.J. Hunter‘s returning rights. Hunter, a former first-round pick, intends to suit up for the Vipers, his agent confirms to Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days (Twitter link).

Teams With Open Roster Spots

October 19th, 2017 at 1:54pm CST by Luke Adams

For the first time, NBA teams are permitted to carry up to 17 players this season. In addition to carrying up to 15 players to the NBA roster, teams can add two more players on two-way contracts. The rule changes related to roster sizes have allowed teams to maintain a little extra flexibility, and many clubs are taking advantage of that added flexibility to open the season, carrying the full 17 players.

Several teams still have open roster spots though, affording those clubs a different kind of flexibility. A team carrying only 14 NBA players, for instance, has the opportunity to sign a free agent or add a player in a trade at any time without waiving anyone, all the while avoiding paying for a 15th man who almost certainly won’t see much playing time.

With the help of our roster count page and our two-way contract tracker, here’s a breakdown of the teams that have at least one open NBA or two-way spot on their rosters:

Teams carrying just 14 NBA contracts:

Boston Celtics
Charlotte Hornets
Detroit Pistons
Houston Rockets
Indiana Pacers
Los Angeles Clippers
Minnesota Timberwolves
Oklahoma City Thunder
Portland Trail Blazers

It makes sense that a few of these teams would avoid carrying a 15th man to open the season. The Rockets, Thunder, and Trail Blazers are all taxpayers, and teams like the Clippers and Hornets are close enough to the tax threshold that avoiding a 15th salary is logical. Among these clubs, the Celtics seem like perhaps the best bet to fill their final roster opening soon, now that the team has likely lost Gordon Hayward for the season.

Teams carrying just one two-way contract:

Atlanta Hawks
Houston Rockets
Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves
New York Knicks
Portland Trail Blazers

The Trail Blazers don’t currently have a G League affiliate of their own, but the other five teams on this list do, so that’s probably not the reason Portland has waited to fill its second two-way slot. In all likelihood, these six teams will add a second two-way player in time for G League training camps, which open next week. The season tips off on November 3.