Rockets Rumors

Rockets Notes: Schröder, Stone, Wood, Gordon

February 12th, 2022 at 2:32pm CST by JD Shaw

Rockets general manager Rafael Stone expressed optimism that newly acquired guard Dennis Schröder will fit well with the team, Alykhan Bijani of The Athletic tweets. Houston traded for the 28-year-old earlier this week.

“I think the style of basketball we play, we’re either the fastest or top 3-4 fastest in the NBA,” Stone said. “And he’s electric in the open court, and an above average defender. I think it’s gonna be a good fit, both ways.”

Schröder had been considered a possible buyout candidate following his trade from Boston to Houston, but Stone’s comments suggest that’s not the team’s plan. If the Rockets do choose to keep Schröder, he’d provide backcourt depth behind starting guards Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr.

In 49 games this season, Schröder has averaged 14.4 points and 4.2 assists in 29.2 minutes per contest. He’s shot 44% from the floor and 35% from deep during those outings.

Here are some other notes from Houston:

Kelly Iko of The Athletic hosted a Q&A with veteran big man Christian Wood before the trade deadline, discussing the team’s rebuild, Wood’s individual growth and more. Wood has played in 52 of his team’s 55 games this season, averaging 17.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per contest.
Stone expressed confidence that Eric Gordon wants to be in Houston after not being moved in a deadline deal, Alykhan Bijani tweets. “Eric wants to be here. I feel really comfortable talking about that,” Stone said. The 33-year-old is set to make $19.6MM next season and holds a $20.1MM team option for the 2023/24 campaign, so he could be a trade candidate again in the offseason or at next year’s deadline.
Stone also discussed whether the team received trade offers for Wood and Gordon, explaining why he didn’t move either of the players. “We obviously didn’t receive an offer that we wanted to do more than we wanted to keep the guys. I think they’re important parts of this team,” Stone said as part of a larger quote, according to Mark Berman of Fox 26 (Twitter link).

Leftover Deadline Rumors: Raptors, Rockets, Lakers, Nuggets, Knicks

February 11th, 2022 at 9:07am CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors considered a series of potential trade scenarios before they agreed to send Goran Dragic and a draft pick to San Antonio for Thaddeus Young, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.

According to Grange, Toronto had hoped the Hawks would make Bogdan Bogdanovic available, viewing the veteran wing as someone who could help the team in both the short- and long-term. However, Atlanta didn’t budge on Bogdanovic, forcing the Raptors to look elsewhere.

The Raptors inquired on Pistons forward Jerami Grant and Kings forward Harrison Barnes, sources tell Grange, but the price tags for those players were high. As previously reported, there were also discussions about a three-team deal that would’ve sent Talen Horton-Tucker and Nerlens Noel to Toronto, but Grange suggests those talks never gained serious traction.

Here are a few more leftover rumors on trades that didn’t get made on deadline day:

The Rockets never made real progress on a John Wall trade with the Lakers, who were unwilling to attach a first-round pick to Russell Westbrook, but a few days before the deadline, Houston got much closer to moving Wall to another team, a source tells Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. That proposed deal ultimately fell through, per Feigen, who doesn’t specify which team the Rockets were talking to.
During a TV appearance, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (video link) said one concept that “could have been discussed” by the Rockets and Lakers before the deadline, “depending on who you believe,” was a swap of Westbrook, Horton-Tucker, and draft capital for Wall and Christian Wood. It doesn’t sound like those talks, if they even occurred, advanced at all.
After agreeing to acquire center Jalen Smith from Phoenix, the Pacers explored flipping him to a new team, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Fischer says the Nuggets were among the clubs in the mix for Smith, but Indiana didn’t find a deal it liked and ended up hanging onto the third-year big man.
The Knicks didn’t make a deal on deadline day, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. Sources tell Steve Popper of Newsday that the club was willing to move just about anyone on its roster, but had trouble finding trade partners for many of its top trade candidates, including Kemba Walker and Noel. According to Popper, his sources suggested there was a “universal lack of interest in the Knicks’ talent and contracts.”

Tate Drew Interest On Trade Market

February 10th, 2022 at 9:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jae’Sean Tate remained with the Rockets, but that doesn’t mean there was a lack of interest in the young forward, Kelly Iko of The Athletic tweets. A number of teams brought up Tate prior to the trade deadline but the Rockets obviously didn’t receive a strong enough offer. He’s averaging 12.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 3.1 APG this season.

Rockets Trade Daniel Theis To Celtics For Schröder, Two Others

February 10th, 2022 at 8:27pm CST by Rory Maher

8:27pm: The trade is official, according to press releases from both the Celtics and Rockets. As expected, Houston has officially waived guards D.J. Augustin and Armoni Brooks in order to complete the deal.

2:03pm: The Rockets are sending Daniel Theis back to the Celtics, Kelly Iko of The Athletic reports (via Twitter). Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets that it will be for a package including Dennis Schröder.

Sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link) that Enes Freedom and Bruno Fernando are also be headed to Houston in the deal. Woj reports that the Rockets will waive Freedom (via Twitter).

After sending Bol Bol and PJ Dozier to Orlando, agreeing to trade Josh Richardson and Romeo Langford to San Antonio in exchange for Derrick White, and now dealing three players for one, the Celtics have opened five roster spots today and figure to be aggressive on the buyout market.

Theis, 29, started his NBA career in Boston, appearing in parts of four season with the club prior to being traded to Chicago at last season’s deadline.

He signed a four-year, $35.6MM contract with Houston as a free agent last summer, with the 2024/25 season being a team option. It was a strange signing for a rebuilding Rockets team that had just used two first-round picks on young big men Alperen Sengun and Usman Garuba. Theis had fallen out of the team’s rotation as it prioritized youth, averaging 8.4 points and 5.0 rebounds through 26 games (22.5 minutes).

Theis will provide a major defensive upgrade over Freedom and should see some backup center minutes for his old team. Obviously, the Celtics have a high level of familiarity with the German big man, and he’s been teammates with the majority of the roster after just being dealt away last year.

For the Rockets, the move is mostly about clearing their books. Schröder is having another decent year, averaging 14.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists through 49 games (29.2 minutes), but he’s on an expiring $5.9MM contract, which was the main appeal. Freedom and Fernando are also in the final year of their respective deals.

Fernando can become a restricted free agent this summer if Houston tenders him a qualifying offer, but that seems unlikely given the limited contributions he’s provided this point in his career. Still, the Rockets get a look at 23-year-old big man to see if they want to keep him around beyond this season.

It will be interesting to see if a market develops for Schröder this summer after he failed to secure the large contract he was hoping for in 2021. I suspect he’ll still fall in the mid-level exception range, as not many teams will have cash to spend on free agents in 2022.

Rockets To Cut D.J. Augustin, Armoni Brooks

February 10th, 2022 at 2:57pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

To carve out roster room to complete their one-for-three trade with Boston, the Rockets will waive reserve guards D.J. Augustin and Armoni Brooks, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

Earlier this week, aware that his days in Houston might be limited, Augustin expressed an interest in remaining on the Rockets roster through the trade deadline, despite his awareness that the Rockets would be prioritizing the development of their younger players. The 5’11” point guard, a 14-year NBA veteran, averaged 5.4 PPG, 2.2 APG and 1.2 RPG across 15.0 in 34 contests with Houston this season.

The 23-year-old Brooks, a second-year player out of the University of Houston, also never carved out major minutes with the Rockets this year. The 6’3″ shooting guard averaged 16.8 MPG in 41 games this year. He scored 6.2 PPG on 34.7% field goal shooting, and also chipped in 2.0 RPG and 1.2 APG.

Brooks saw a far more robust role with the Rockets during his rookie season, albeit in just 20 games as a two-way contract signing. He averaged 11.2 PPG on 40.6% field goal shooting for the Rockets, along with 3.4 RPG and 1.5 APG.

Augustin’s $7.33MM salary for next season was partially guaranteed, but only for $333K. None of the remaining three years on Brooks’ contract beyond this season included guaranteed money.

Augustin and Brooks will become free agents on Saturday if they’re not claimed on waivers. Augustin could be a popular target for playoff teams looking to add backcourt depth.

Stein’s Latest: Lillard, Wall, Westbrook, Mavs, Turner, Harden, Simmons

February 10th, 2022 at 7:33am CST by Luke Adams

The Trail Blazers‘ roster makeover this week has prompted multiple teams to place a call to Portland’s front office in an effort to engage in trade talks involving Damian Lillard, according to Marc Stein at Substack. However, Stein hears that those inquiries have been “swiftly rebuffed” by the Blazers.

Reporting following the CJ McCollum trade this week indicated that Portland’s plan is to reshape its roster around Lillard, and the star point guard still sounds committed to sticking it out with the Blazers. As Stein writes, there’s a growing expectation from the outside that Lillard probably won’t return from his abdominal surgery this season, with the Blazers seemingly shifting their short-term focus from playoff contention to draft positioning.

Here’s more from Stein:

A source close to the situation tells Stein that the Rockets remain unwilling to consider a John Wall/Russell Westbrook swap unless the Lakers are willing to put their 2027 first-round pick in a deal. There has still been no indication that Los Angeles is open to that concept, says Stein.
The Mavericks made a run at Caris LeVert before the Pacers traded him to Cleveland, but were unable to make a deal, according to Stein, who notes that the Cavaliers were able to offer better assets than Dallas. A Mavs offer may have required Indiana to take the long-term contract of injured swingman Tim Hardaway Jr., Stein writes.
Although a trade of Myles Turner hasn’t been entirely ruled out, the big man is widely expected to remain with the Pacers through the deadline, per Stein.
Stein says his best read of the James Harden/Ben Simmons situation is that there’s a price point at which the Nets would be willing to make a deal today, but it would be “steep” and it’s unclear if the Sixers have the appetite to meet it.

Trade Rumors: Barnes, Lakers, P. Washington, Bulls

February 9th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

As Thursday’s trade deadline nears, the Kings have been sending signals that they plan to hang onto forward Harrison Barnes, according to Marc Stein (Twitter link).

Barnes has been a frequent subject of recent trade rumors, with one report earlier today stating that the Kings were still very much open to discussing him. A follow-up report said Sacramento only wanted win-now pieces in any deal involving the veteran forward, since the team still has playoff aspirations.

It seems safe to assume that most teams with interest in Barnes are other contenders or playoff hopefuls — those clubs would likely be more inclined to give up draft picks and young prospects than players who can contribute right away, so it makes sense that the Kings are having a tough time finding a deal they like.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

The Lakers have been “very reluctant” to give up a future first-round pick in any deadline trade, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said today (video link). According to Bill Oram of The Athletic, prior to Tuesday, it seemed the front office’s preference was to wait until the offseason to do anything major, since the team’s 2029 first-round pick will become eligible to be traded at that time — L.A. could theoretically package its ’27 and ’29 first-rounders in the summer. Tuesday’s loss reportedly helped create a greater sense of urgency in the Lakers’ locker room to make a deadline move, so it will be interesting to see how the front office responds.
The Hornets aren’t shopping forward P.J. Washington, but they’ve been willing to listen to calls about him, according to Jordan Schultz, who reports (via Twitter) that the Heat, Raptors, and Rockets are among the teams with interest in Washington.
Bulls guard Coby White has been mentioned off and on this season as a possible trade candidate, but he doesn’t sound too concerned about what will happen at the deadline, as K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago relays. “I think I’ll be here past the deadline,” White said. “I haven’t really been worried about it.”
According to Johnson, there’s not much buzz right now about the Bulls making a major splash at the deadline. League sources tell Johnson that Chicago seems more interested in a frontcourt addition than acquiring a player like Dennis Schröder. Two of Johnson’s sources said the team’s reported interest in Schröder has been overstated.

Trade Rumors: Kings, Barnes, Jazz, Gordon, Nets, Sixers

February 9th, 2022 at 9:32am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings have made on major trade already this week, sending three players, including Tyrese Haliburton, to Indiana in exchange for a three-player package headlined by Domantas Sabonis. However, they may not be done dealing yet. A front office source who spoke to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com believes there’s another Sacramento move on the way before Thursday’s deadline.

“That one (the Sabonis trade) is just Part One,” the source told Bulpett.

Kings forward Harrison Barnes remains a candidate to be moved, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com, who hears from sources that the team is expected to “aggressively” explore the market for Barnes.

There should be no shortage of suitors for Barnes, a solid defender who is knocking down 40.5% of his three-point attempts this season and has a reasonable contract ($20.3MM this season, $18.4MM next year). Marc Berman of The New York Post, who hears from multiple sources that the Kings would be open to moving Barnes, reports that the Knicks are one team that has inquired on the veteran forward.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

The Jazz have expressed interest in trading for Rockets shooting guard Eric Gordon, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. As Scotto writes, Utah has been dangling Joe Ingles‘ expiring contract and a future first-round pick in the hopes of adding a wing, while Houston has sought a first-rounder in any deal involving Gordon.
While ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (video link) thinks there’s a real chance of the Nets and Sixers completing a James Harden/Ben Simmons trade this week, Brooklyn head coach Steve Nash said on Tuesday that he expects his roster to be the same after Thursday’s trade deadline as it is now, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).
Whether or not they trade Simmons, the Sixers are in the market for another backcourt player, head coach Doc Rivers said on Tuesday (Twitter link via Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer). “We have no choice. We have to get another guard,” Rivers said. “We just do. Even if Furk (Furkan Korkmaz) and Shake (Milton handle the ball), we need a point guard, and we’re looking. But they don’t grow on trees, as you know.”

2022 NBA Trade Deadline Preview: Southwest Division

February 9th, 2022 at 6:33am CST by Luke Adams

With the NBA’s February 10 trade deadline around the corner, we’re taking a closer look at all 30 teams, breaking down their potential plans for the deadline and identifying their most likely trade candidates. We’re focusing today on the Southwest Division.

Dallas Mavericks

Trade deadline goals:

The Mavericks don’t have a single glaring hole on their roster, but could use some extra reinforcements at any number of spots.

It wouldn’t be a shock to see Dallas try to acquire another wing to replace the injured Tim Hardaway Jr.; or an extra big man as Kristaps Porzingis insurance; or even one more guard who can shoot, such as buyout candidate Goran Dragic.

The Mavs probably aren’t just one player away from legitimate title contention — or if they are, they don’t have the assets necessary to make a good deal that one player. So anything they do at the deadline will probably be about taking an incremental step forward. Ideally, they’d find a player who fits well alongside Luka Doncic and who can make the roster a little more dangerous in the playoffs.

Top trade candidates:

Any team that discusses trades with the Mavericks will likely want to talk about one of two players: Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith. They’re not exactly young prospects anymore – Brunson is 25 while Finney-Smith is 28 – but both players remain very much in their prime, have small cap hits, and are solid two-way contributors who would fit in just about any system. They’ll be unrestricted free agents this summer, but acquiring their Bird rights may appeal to a capped-out team.

The Mavs are in a tricky spot with Brunson and Finney-Smith. The team has insisted it wants to retain them and re-sign them this summer, but both guys may be in line for eight-figure raises, pushing Dallas into tax territory without even adding a single piece to the current roster. On the other hand, trading either player comes with its own risk — no Maverick besides Doncic has played more minutes than Brunson and Finney-Smith this season, so they’ve been important parts of the team’s success.

If the Mavs aren’t willing to move Brunson or Finney-Smith, their trade assets are limited. Hardaway isn’t a viable trade chip due to his injury and his contract. Dwight Powell and Reggie Bullock have been playing well as of late, but their multiyear guarantees will make some teams wary — they probably have marginal positive trade value, at best. Maxi Kleber, whose $9.2MM salary for next season is non-guaranteed, could be a trade candidate, though he has battled injuries this season, which may hurt his value.

Perhaps Dallas could drum up a little interest in a package that includes some combination of Josh Green, Sterling Brown, Trey Burke, Moses Brown, and a future first-round pick (the next one the Mavs can unconditionally trade is their 2027 first-rounder), but that won’t be enough to land an impact player.

Houston Rockets

Trade deadline goals:

The full-scale rebuild that began when the Rockets traded away James Harden a year ago remains a work in progress.

At 15-39, Houston is in last place in the Western Conference and remains very much in contention for a top spot in this year’s draft lottery. They won’t be making any trades that benefit the team more in the short term than the long term — asset accumulation is still the goal here.

Of course, there are no trade candidates on the current roster who are as valuable as Harden was last year, but the Rockets still have a handful of veterans who will generate real trade interest, along with a couple other vets who will be more challenging to move.

Top trade candidates:

Let’s start with Houston’s most valuable trade candidates — Christian Wood is averaging a double-double while knocking down 37.4% of his three-pointers this season, making him an intriguing option for any team in need of frontcourt help.

Wood, who is under contract through 2022/23, won’t come cheap though. I’d expect the Rockets to seek multiple first-round picks – or the equivalent in young talent – in exchange for Wood. If no one is willing to meet that price, Houston will probably be comfortable hanging onto Wood and revisiting trade scenarios in the offseason.

Veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon is enjoying a career year at the right time, knocking down 49.1% of his shots, including 42.7% of his threes, through 45 games. Gordon’s $18.2MM cap hit this season and his $19.6MM salary for next season will still be a little high for some teams’ liking, especially since he’ll turn 34 later this year. But I think the Rockets have a legitimate shot at getting a first-round pick for him, which I wouldn’t have expected entering the season.

Veteran center Daniel Theis hasn’t been at his best during his first year in Houston, but he has still drawn some interest from teams in need of a big man, based on his track record. Jae’Sean Tate would be popular if the Rockets made him available, but there’s no indication that has happened. Tate may be part of the club’s longer-term plans.

Of course, Houston would love to find new homes for point guards John Wall and D.J. Augustin, but they aren’t interested in giving up assets to make a deal happen. That essentially rules out a deal for Wall, whose $47.3MM player option for 2022/23 kills his value.

At $7MM, Augustin is a more realistic trade candidate, especially since he has been solid in his limited minutes. But unless Houston wants to take back multiyear money, it might be a challenge to acquire anything of real value for the veteran.

Memphis Grizzlies

Trade deadline goals:

The Grizzlies have been one of the best stories of the 2021/22 NBA season. After sneaking into the playoffs in ’20/21, Memphis has emerged as a serious threat to secure a top-three seed and to win a postseason series this year.

The Grizzlies control their own 2022 first-round pick and Utah’s, and would receive a third first-rounder if the Lakers’ pick falls between 11 and 30. With an ascendant roster and an excess of draft picks, you could make the case that the time is right for Memphis to make a major move at the trade deadline and push for a deep playoff run.

Still, it doesn’t appear that’s the plan for the Grizzlies, who have hardly been mentioned in trade rumors in the weeks leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline. Whether they don’t want to risk upsetting their chemistry, don’t feel they’re ready to push their chips into the middle, or want to wait until the offseason to see where their first-round picks land, the Grizzlies seem more inclined to stand pat than to take a big swing.

A smaller move remains possible. If Memphis makes a deal, the team will likely focus on fortifying its depth on the wing.

Top trade candidates:

Former lottery pick Jarrett Culver has occasionally flashed a little upside, particularly on the defensive end, but he’s not part of the Grizzlies’ rotation and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. His $6.4MM expiring contract could be a logical salary-matching piece in a minor move. Culver wouldn’t have more than neutral trade value, but it’s possible he’d draw a little interest from a lottery team interested in taking a flier on him.

Big man Xavier Tillman is another young player who has shown some promise but doesn’t have a place in Memphis’ current rotation. He’s on a minimum-salary contract, limiting the Grizzlies’ options with him unless they attach him to another player.

Unlike Culver and Tillman, reserve guard De’Anthony Melton and forward Kyle Anderson do play regular minutes, so the Grizzlies will be less motivated to move them. But if Memphis seeks out a more significant upgrade on the wing, Melton ($8.8MM) and Anderson ($9.9MM) would be the most logical trade candidates among the higher-salaried players on the team’s books.

New Orleans Pelicans

Trade deadline goals:

New Orleans had spent the entire season outside of the top 10 in the Western Conference until finally moving into 10th place for the first time on Sunday. Despite their underwhelming first-half performance, the Pelicans were in the market to buy in the weeks leading up to the deadline and found a deal they liked on Tuesday, acquiring CJ McCollum in a seven-player trade that also included three draft picks.

It was a logical move for the Pelicans, who had been on the lookout for backcourt help after Kira Lewis sustained a season-ending knee injury and former first-round pick Nickeil Alexander-Walker took a step backwards in his third NBA season.

McCollum is a reliable veteran capable of creating his own shot who will help Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas carry the offensive load. The deal makes the Pelicans an odds-on favorite to make the play-in tournament in the West, whether or not Zion Williamson returns in the second half.

Now that the Pelicans have already achieved their primary trade deadline goal of acquiring an impact backcourt player, it remains to be seen whether they’ll have anything else up their sleeves this week as they try to further fortify their roster in the hopes of pushing for a playoff spot.

Top trade candidates:

After trading away Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Didi Louzada, and Alexander-Walker in the McCollum deal, the list of viable Pelicans trade candidates has dwindled.

Third-year big man Jaxson Hayes remains a possible trade chip, but New Orleans has reportedly been encouraged by his recent play at power forward, and his legal issues will negatively impact his trade value. The Pelicans may be better off hanging onto Hayes.

Garrett Temple has averaged about 20 minutes per game this year for New Orleans despite having one of the worst shooting seasons of his career (.382 FG%, .319 3PT%). If they can find a way to upgrade on the wing using Temple as a trade chip, the Pelicans would probably welcome the opportunity.

Larry Nance Jr., who New Orleans received in the McCollum deal, is another player worth watching. As long as Williamson remains sidelined, Nance – once he’s healthy himself – will have a role in the Pels’ rotation, so I imagine he’s not a real candidate to be flipped this week. But the team’s frontcourt will be pretty crowded if and when everyone’s back, so Nance could eventually be the odd man out. That’s probably an issue the Pelicans will wait until the offeason to address.

Finally, it’s worth noting that even after sending a first-round pick and two second-rounders to Portland in the McCollum deal, the Pelicans is well-stocked with future draft picks as a result of the Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday trades. They could dangle another pick or two in trade discussions this week if there’s another player they like.

San Antonio Spurs

Trade deadline goals:

The Spurs rarely make in-season trades. Entering the 2021/22 league year, they’d completed just two deals during the season since 2012, and neither one had much of an impact on their roster.

However, San Antonio has already made one trade this year, sending Bryn Forbes to Denver last month in a three-team deal in exchange for Juan Hernangomez, a future second-round pick, and cash.

Did that trade signal an increased willingness from San Antonio to make moves before the deadline? Or is expecting more than one in-season trade from the Spurs misguided?

It’s still too early to say, but if the Spurs stand pat at the deadline, it won’t be due to a lack of interest in their players. They’ve reportedly gotten calls on Derrick White, Dejounte Murray, Jakob Poeltl, and Thaddeus Young, among others.

Top trade candidates:

Murray is almost certainly off the table, but it’s not out of the question that the Spurs could move White, Poeltl, or Young.

Of the three, Young is the least likely to finish the season in San Antonio. The veteran forward hasn’t been a regular part of the Spurs’ rotation and is on an expiring $14MM+ contract. He has reportedly generated interest from Minnesota and Phoenix, and I imagine the Spurs would be eager to move him if they can get a second-round pick without taking back any multiyear money. If that sort of offer doesn’t emerge, Young will be a post-deadline buyout candidate.

Poeltl has reportedly generated interest from at least the Raptors, Bulls, and Hornets, but he’s having a very good season and is on an extremely team-friendly contract. It would likely take a pretty strong offer for the Spurs to seriously consider a deal — one report stated they’d want a first-round pick and a quality young player, which sounds about right.

I also wouldn’t expect the Spurs to move White during the season, but he at least seems more attainable than Murray, who was named to his first All-Star Game this week. Veteran sharpshooter Doug McDermott, who is hitting 43.5% of his three-point attempts, would likely be a popular target if San Antonio makes him available, but there has been no indication that he’s on the trade block.

Southwest Notes: Augustin, Silas, Mavericks, McCollum

February 8th, 2022 at 11:49pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Veteran Rockets point guard D.J. Augustin, 34, hopes to remain in Houston through the NBA trade deadline, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Should the Rockets opt not to pick up his partially-guaranteed deal this summer, the rebuilding club’s oldest player could become a free agent. The 5’11” guard is averaging 5.4 PPG and 2.2 APG in just 15.0 MPG this season.

“At this point in my career, man, whatever the team needs from me, whatever the coach needs from me, the organization needs, I’m going to do my job and do what I need to do,” Augustin said.

At times this season, head coach Stephen Silas has opted not to play Augustin at all, in favor of giving the team’s younger prospects more run. Augustin does concede that he would like a consistent role in the Rockets’ rotation, but accepts that that may not be what Houston requires.

“I would like minutes, period,” he said. “That’s not my role right now with this team.”

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

With NBA trade deadline chatter swirling, Rockets head coach Stephen Silas is trying to help his current Houston players focus on the task at hand as much as possible, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Feigen notes that the Rockets have been active at the trade deadline for the past 16 straight years. “It is our job as a coaching staff, as a management team to make sure everybody is pointed in the direction of things that you can control,” Silas said. “I know that there’s other stuff out there and rumors. There’s always rumors and false narratives going on. But really focusing on what you can control makes everybody’s job easier. Whatever happens, you adapt to that.”
The 32-23 Mavericks could opt to develop their current chemistry at the trade deadline or make changes. In a roundtable, Callie Caplan, Brad Townsend and Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News debate how Dallas should move forward at the deadline. Sherrington cautions that it may prove difficult for the Mavericks to re-sign both Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith. Caplan suggests that the Mavericks maintain their core players, noting that the team seems capable of fending off most Western Conference contenders. Caplan adds that Raptors point guard Goran Dragic could make a nice addition with the Mavericks, should he get a buyout.
After acquiring sharp-shooting guard CJ McCollum, forward Larry Nance Jr. and deep-bench reserve Tony Snell from the Trail Blazers today, the Pelicans are clearly hoping to make a play-in tournament push, writes Will Guillory of The Athletic. The club has gone 19-16 in its last 35 contests. Guillory notes that McCollum, an excellent scorer and ball-handler, could prove to be a stellar partner for star forwards Brandon Ingram and, when healthy, Zion Williamson. New Orleans is currently the tenth seed in the West, with a 22-32 record.

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