Houston Rockets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Christian Wood Expected To Generate Significant Trade Interest

November 29th, 2021 at 9:11am CST by Luke Adams

There’s an expectation around the NBA that Rockets big man Christian Wood will generate “significant” trade interest this season, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who adds that people around the league believe Houston will consider offers.

Wood, 26, parlayed a strong 2019/20 season in Detroit into a three-year, $41MM deal with the Rockets during the 2020 offseason. He has outperformed that deal so far, averaging 19.5 PPG and 10.2 RPG on .499/.362/.612 shooting in 60 games (32.5 MPG) in Houston. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent in 2023.

As O’Connor notes, one reason Wood chose to sign with the Rockets a year ago was to play with James Harden, which obviously didn’t last long. That doesn’t necessarily mean Wood wants out now, but he’d be more valuable to a playoff team than a rebuilding club. Rival executives have wondered whether Houston will be motivated to trade its veteran bigs – Wood and/or Daniel Theis – in order to open up more minutes for promising rookie Alperen Sengun, O’Connor writes.

I’d be a little surprised if the Rockets look to move Theis this season — the team signed him to a long-term deal in August after having drafted Sengun and fully committed to the rebuild, so he doesn’t fall into the same category as vets like Wood, John Wall, and Eric Gordon, who were on the roster before Harden was dealt. For what it’s worth, O’Connor says Theis will receive “mild” trade interest from teams in need of a reliable backup center.

While it remains to be seen whether either Wood or Theis will be dealt, the 3-16 Rockets should certainly be sellers at the February deadline — Wall, Gordon, D.J. Augustin, and Danuel House are among the other vets who could be shopped.

John Wall Wants To Start, Rockets Disagree; Will Continue To Sit Out

November 28th, 2021 at 2:15pm CST by JD Shaw

November 28: Wall met with the Rockets on Sunday and informed the team he would like to be a starter again and have a chance to compete to keep a starting role, writes Shams Charania of The Athletic.

However, the Rockets disagreed, and want Wall to come off the bench in order to return to play. Wall will continue to sit out until the two sides find a resolution, per Charania.

After the news broke, Wall reportedly posted an Instagram video with the hashtag “#FreeMe”, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

November 27: Rockets guard John Wall has expressed a desire to return to the court and start playing again, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Wall and the franchise had mutually agreed that he would sit out until a trade was found back in September.

For a return to happen, Wall and Houston may need to compromise and solidify his role, Wojnarowski writes. At 31 years old and playing in a backcourt that consists of Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green, Wall doesn’t exactly fit with Houston’s current direction.

His massive salary of $44.31MM this season and a $47.37MM player option next season also make it difficult to find a trade partner. A five-time All-Star, Wall averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists per game with the Rockets last season, shooting 40% from the field.

Wall never asked to be traded this fall, but it became clear that he was no longer part of the team’s plans. He talked to general manager Rafael Stone on Friday and the two sides plan to speak again on Sunday to further discuss a potential return, according to Wojnarowski.

Rockets Notes: Wood, Mathews, Wall, Silas

November 28th, 2021 at 11:03am CST by Arthur Hill

After losing 15 straight games, the Rockets have now won two in a row and the turnaround started with a lineup change, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Free agent addition Daniel Theis, who had been the starting center, hasn’t played the last two games as coach Stephen Silas opted for a smaller starting lineup with Christian Wood in the middle. Wood set two career highs this week with six assists Wednesday and 33 points Saturday.

“We’re moving the ball, we’re taking open shots and we’re making shots,” Silas said after Saturday’s win over Charlotte. “How many games in a row did we shoot under 30% from three? We shot 47 (percent) tonight. Part of it is playing Armoni (Brooks) a little bit more, playing Garrison (Mathews) a little bit more. But also having some space out there so we can get our drive-and-kicks. Once a few go, you get a lot more confident about shooting your shots. Pretty confident shooting right now.”

There’s more from Houston:

Another part of the new lineup is Mathews, who was claimed off waivers before the start of the season and given a two-way contract, Feigen adds. With Jalen Green sidelined by a strained hamstring, Mathews made his first start Saturday and provided 20 points while going 5-of-9 from three-point range. “He’s showing up when his name is called,” Wood said. “That’s all you can ask for a guy like that. He’s shooting the ball great. I told him, whenever he sees the rim and he’s open, let it go. Same with Armoni Brooks. Whenever those two guys see it, shoot it. Don’t hesitate. Don’t try to take a dribble. Just shoot it. That’s what you’re on the floor for. That’s what you’re great at.”
Silas told reporters that he hasn’t talked to John Wall about his interest in starting to play again, Feigen states in a separate story. Wall spoke to general manager Rafael Stone on Friday, and another meeting is planned today. According to Feigen, it will focus on what Wall’s role might be on a team that remains committed to its young backcourt. “Being around John and him working out all the time and him being around the team and him being the competitor that he is, John just being John, of course you know that he is itching (to play),” Silas said. “As far as a conversation between he and I as far as him wanting to come back, no.”
Saturday’s game against the Hornets was special for Silas, who still feels a strong connection to the organization after spending 10 years there as an assistant coach, Feigen adds in another piece.

Stein’s Latest: Kings, M. Brown, Atkinson, Vogel, Wall

November 26th, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Before he became the controlling owner of the Kings, Vivek Ranadive was a minority stakeholder in the Warriors, and he still has a “stubborn fascination” with his old team, writes Marc Stein at Substack. According to Stein, there’s buzz in league circles that a pair of Warriors assistants – Mike Brown and Kenny Atkinson – will be among the candidates who receive consideration for the Kings’ head coaching job if the team doesn’t retain Alvin Gentry beyond this season.

Here’s more from Stein’s latest look around the league:

There’s “rising buzz” in NBA coaching circles that Lakers head coach Frank Vogel is facing increasing pressure with the team still sitting at .500 (10-10), says Stein. Earlier this week, we mentioned Vogel when we speculated about which head coaches could be the next to find themselves on the hot seat.
While John Wall may be getting a little frustrated with his situation in Houston, the veteran point guard consented to the possibility of the Rockets holding him out for the entire season. According to Stein, Wall signed off on the plan after being told he’d have a limited role in Houston’s backcourt if he were active, since the club is focused on developing young guards Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green.
As we relayed in a full story earlier this afternoon, Stein says Mavericks officials are expressing confidence about their chances of retaining Jalen Brunson beyond the 2021/22 season.

Jalen Green Has Strained Hamstring, Out At Least A Week

November 26th, 2021 at 11:50am CST by Luke Adams

After leaving Wednesday’s game against Chicago with a left leg injury, Rockets rookie Jalen Green has been diagnosed with a strained left hamstring and will be re-evaluated in one week, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.

While there’s no guarantee that Green will be ready to return in a week, it doesn’t sound like a significant injury. The No. 2 overall pick wanted to practice today, according to head coach Stephen Silas (Twitter link via Kelly Iko of The Athletic), but the Rockets will be cautious with the injury.

The 19-year-old is off to a bit of a slow start in his first NBA season. While he has averaged 14.0 PPG, his shooting numbers (.382 FG%, .278 3PT%) aren’t great, and he has more turnovers per game (2.7) than assists (2.3). Still, he has frequently flashed the potential that made him one of the top picks in a loaded draft, including scoring 30 points vs. Boston in just his third NBA game.

Eric Gordon, Garrison Mathews, and Danuel House could see more playing time while Green is on the shelf.

Stephen Silas Trying To Balance Development With On-Court Performance

November 24th, 2021 at 6:18pm CST by Arthur Hill

Amid rumors about his job security, Rockets coach Stephen Silas hasn’t lost track of his dual responsibilities of trying to get a few wins while developing his young players, tweets Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston. “It’s yeah, we want to win a game,” Silas said in tonight’s pre-game session with the media. “We want to get off this (15-game losing) streak. We want to get off this slide and I want it so badly for the group, but I also understand it’s developing these guys and I got to do both.”

Rockets Weighing Stephen Silas’ Future?

November 24th, 2021 at 8:45am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets are weighing the future of head coach Stephen Silas, sources with knowledge of the situation tell Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Fischer suggests Silas could become the next NBA head coach on the hot seat following Luke Walton‘s dismissal earlier this week.

Fischer’s report comes with a handful of caveats. Unlike Walton’s Kings, there were no playoff expectations for Silas’ Rockets this season. Additionally, staffers in Houston aren’t “waiting for this shoe drop” in the same way that team personnel in Sacramento were anticipating Walton’s exit. Still, Fischer says whispers have grown louder as of late about Silas’ job security — he has just one more year left on his contract after the 2021/22 season.

Silas’ primary goal for a Houston team without real playoff aspirations has been developing young players like Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. Those youngsters have gotten off to slow starts in 2021/22, and Fischer says rival coaches characterize the team’s offense as “disorganized and undisciplined.”

The 1-16 Rockets have the NBA’s worst offensive rating, worst assist-to-turnover ratio, and highest turnover rate. Of course, those numbers may be more the byproduct of the young, inexperienced roster than of Silas’ coaching.

As Fischer points out, Houston didn’t initially hire Silas expecting him to oversee a full-fledged rebuild, but the team has gone in that direction over the last 12 months, opting to pass on promising young players in favor of future draft picks in January’s James Harden blockbuster. Some people around the league believe Silas has been put in an impossible position.

“(Silas) is genuinely one of the nicest people in the NBA. He actually cares about people,” one assistant general manager told Fischer. “To put him with a bunch of really young dudes who probably don’t care about anything but their numbers and playing time, he’s just not the right fit.”

Another Western Conference executive who spoke to Bleacher Report wondered what exactly Silas was supposed to do with this year’s roster.

Although there’s no indication that any head coaching change is imminent, Fischer hears from multiple sources that veteran assistant John Lucas II, who has a strong relationship with general manager Rafael Stone, would be the likely interim replacement if Silas is let go during the season.

According to Fischer, Stone is more hands-on than the average NBA general manager, having walked onto Houston’s practice court at one point to preach defensive philosophy. If he were to make a coaching change, the GM would likely want to continue to have the same level of input into on-court tactics and decisions that he does now.

Rockets Notes: Losing Streak, Gordon, Silas, Wall

November 23rd, 2021 at 2:41pm CST by Luke Adams

The frustration in Houston has increased as of late, with the Rockets‘ losing streak reaching 15 games, as Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle writes. The Rockets didn’t enter the season expecting to make the playoffs, but the goal was to be more competitive than they’ve been so far — the team has an NBA-worst 1-16 record.

Head coach Stephen Silas wants his club to keep its collective head up, telling reporters that when the Rockets eventually end this slide and look back on it, they’ll see the character they built by fighting to end the streak.

“We have 19-year-olds on the floor,” Silas said, per Feigen. “We have a young 21-year-old point guard (Kevin Porter Jr.) We have a second-year player (Jae’Sean Tate) playing the three. Christian Wood is still a young player. We’re looking at other teams that have gone through this, and we’re staying positive. And we’re keeping the pressure on as far as coaching the guys and making sure we’re at least attempting to do the right things as much as possible.”

Here’s more on the Rockets:

Eric Gordon began the season as the Rockets’ sixth man, but has started the last three games. As Feigen writes for The Houston Chronicle, head coach Stephen Silas‘ hope is that playing alongside Gordon will make it easy for rookie Jalen Green to create off the dribble. “Being out there with Eric helps him because Eric is a vet and he knows what he is trying to do and what he’s trying to get to,” Silas said of Green.
Feigen of The Houston Chronicle and Kelly Iko of The Athletic both recently published mailbags examining several Rockets-related topics, including how much patience the team will have with Silas. Feigen suggests Houston should give Silas “a leash that is years long, not weeks,” while Iko says he remains confident that the team’s current coach can be the one to successfully lead the multiyear rebuild.
Veteran point guard John Wall, who is being held out of games until the Rockets can find a trade partner, may be getting a little restless. As Dan Feldman of NBC Sports notes, Wall agreed on Monday night with a tweet that said he’s “getting punished for something (he) can’t control.”

Garuba Getting Needed Reps In G League

November 18th, 2021 at 8:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Rockets first-round pick Usman Garuba has been assigned the G League Rio Grande Valley Vipers and that’s needed in order to get him some experience, Rahat Huq of the Houston Chronicle writes. Garuba hasn’t cracked the Rockets’ regular rotation, appearing in just seven games and averaging 6.4 MPG. Garuba is noted for defensive prowess but needs to develop his offensive game, Huq adds.

Heat Would Have Interest In John Wall If He's Bought Out

November 17th, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat would have interest in point guard John Wall if he’s bought out, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, but there’s no indication the Rockets intend to pursue a buyout agreement with Wall anytime soon.