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2021 NBA Offseason In Review: Houston Rockets

October 14th, 2021 at 1:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2021 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s offseason moves, examine what still needs to be done before opening night, and look ahead to what the 2021/22 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Houston Rockets.

Free agent signings:

Note: Exhibit 9 and 10 deals aren’t included here.

Daniel Theis: Four years, $35.61MM. Fourth-year team option. Acquired via sign-and-trade.
David Nwaba: Three years, $15.07MM. Third-year team option. Re-signed using Early Bird rights.
Dante Exum: Three years, $15MM. Second and third years non-guaranteed. Base value of $7.5MM, with $7.5MM in likely incentives and $1.22MM in unlikely incentives. Re-signed using Bird rights.
Anthony Lamb: Two-way contract. Accepted two-way qualifying offer as restricted free agent.

Two-way conversions:

Armoni Brooks: Four years, minimum salary. Second and third years non-guaranteed. Fourth-year team option. Converted using mid-level exception.

Trades:

Acquired the draft rights to Alperen Sengun (No. 16 pick) from the Thunder in exchange for the Pistons’ 2022 first-round pick (top-16 protected) and the Wizards’ 2023 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
Acquired Daniel Theis (sign-and-trade) from the Bulls in exchange for cash ($1.1MM).
Acquired Sekou Doumbouya and the Nets’ 2024 second-round pick from the Nets in exchange for cash ($110K).
- Note: Doumbouya has since been waived.

Draft picks:

1-2: Jalen Green
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $40,808,448).
1-16: Alperen Sengun
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $15,550,974).
1-23: Usman Garuba
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $11,805,395).
1-24: Josh Christopher
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $11,463,215).

Contract extensions:

None

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

The Rockets and John Wall agreed that he’ll sit out of games as the team works to find him a new home.
Hired Chris Wallace and Matt Bullard in front office roles.

Salary cap situation:

Remained over the cap and below the tax line.
Carrying approximately $131.9MM in salary.
$8,046,935 of non-taxpayer mid-level exception still available ($1,489,065 used on Armoni Brooks).
Full bi-annual exception ($3,732,000) still available.
Two traded player exceptions available, including one worth $1.8MM.

Lingering preseason issues:

The Rockets have 16 players with guaranteed contracts, so someone will needed to be traded or released before the regular season begins.
John Wall is technically eligible for a veteran contract extension until October 18, though he’s more likely to be traded or bought out than extended.
Danuel House is eligible for a veteran contract extension all season.

The Rockets’ offseason:

After eight straight years in the playoffs, the Rockets stumbled into an unwanted rebuilding process last season. James Harden came to training camp with trade demands and intensified them until the team had no choice but to move him in mid-January. He was sent to Brooklyn for a package that was loaded with future draft picks, but didn’t offer much immediate help. What followed was a free fall that left Houston with the league’s worst record at 17-55.

The first step toward rebuilding came with a little bit of luck on lottery night. Faced with the prospect of losing their first-round pick to the Thunder if it dropped out of the top five, the Rockets landed the No. 2 selection and used it to draft Jalen Green, an electrifying scorer from the G League Ignite who brings a mix of shot-making and athleticism that prompts some scouts to view him as a future contender for the scoring title.

Houston had two other first-round selections in hand from previous trades, then made another deal on draft night, sending two future picks to Oklahoma City for the chance to draft center Alperen Sengun at No. 16. The Turkish League MVP combines with Green and fellow first-rounders Usman Garuba and Josh Christopher to give the Rockets a collection of young talent to build around.

Houston was relatively quiet on the free agent market, but the team did land center Daniel Theis in a sign-and-trade with the Bulls that wound up being a straight cash deal. Theis brings a rugged interior presence that the Rockets didn’t have last season and frees up big man Christian Wood to spend more time on the perimeter.

Outside of the draft, the major news of the offseason was an agreement with John Wall that will keep the veteran guard off the floor until management can trade him. Wall’s hefty salary — he’s owed $44.3MM this season and has a $47.4MM player option for 2022/23 — and his injury history have made it tough to find a trading partner, and the Rockets have expressed a reluctance to attach any first-round picks or take back unwanted salary in return. Unless that changes, or both sides decide a buyout is in their best interest, Wall will serve as a virtual assistant coach while Kevin Porter Jr. takes over at point guard.

Also facing an uncertain future in Houston is Eric Gordon, who will turn 33 in December and doesn’t fit the rebuilding timeline. Gordon, one of the few veterans who wasn’t moved last season, is reportedly open to being traded, and there were rumors that he might be on the move before the draft. The Rockets gave Gordon a new contract while they were still contenders, and it will pay him $18.2MM this season and $19.5MM next year, with a non-guaranteed $20.9MM salary for 2023/24. The team wouldn’t mind getting that money off its books, but as long as he remains in Houston, Gordon will join Wall in serving as a mentor to the young players, although he’ll be able to do some of his teaching on the court.

The Rockets see Porter as their answer at point guard and a perfect backcourt partner for Green. The team sent Porter to the G League to learn the position after trading for him last season, and he showed plenty of promise in 26 games after being recalled. The front office believes Porter, Wood, Kenyon Martin Jr. and Jae’Sean Tate provide a good core to complement this year’s draft haul.

Defensive lapses were a recurring issue last season, and the Rockets tried to address them by re-signing two veterans who excel on that end of the court. David Nwaba, who bounced back from a torn Achilles tendon to play 30 games last season, was rewarded with a three-year deal. Dante Exum also received a three-year contract, but because of his injury-filled past, it’s loaded with incentives and only carries a $2.5MM guarantee.

The Rockets’ upcoming season:

The Rockets may not win much more than they did last season, but it feels like the franchise is pointed in the right direction. Head coach Stephen Silas suffered through a chaotic first year on the job as roster moves, COVID-19 and a slew of injuries forced him to adjust his lineup nearly every game.

Player development will be the focus of the upcoming season as all four of Houston’s first-round picks are 19 years old. No matter how good they turn out to be, they’ll need time to adjust to the pace and talent level of the NBA. Garuba and Christopher may spend part of their rookie season in the G League to get regular playing time.

The Rockets appear headed back to the lottery, but the upcoming season offers a chance to further shape their future. Finding deals for Wall and Gordon will be a priority as the team hopes to create more opportunities for its young players and create some cap flexibility going forward. The offseason brought plenty of hope to Houston fans, but they may have to wait longer for the team to start winning again.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post. Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Rockets Sign Armoni Brooks To Four-Year Deal

October 14th, 2021 at 12:21pm CST by Luke Adams

12:21pm: The Rockets have officially signed Brooks to a multiyear contract, the team announced today in a press release. The club also confirmed the previously-reported signing of guard Marcus Foster.

According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link), Brooks’ four-year deal can be worth up to $7.2MM. That means it’s a minimum-salary contract, which would have a four-year value of $7,201,486. The second and third years are non-guaranteed with July trigger dates, while the fourth year is a team option, says Iko.

11:10am: The Rockets are signing guard Armoni Brooks to a four-year contract, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). The first-year salary will be guaranteed, with trigger dates for each season after that, Wojnarowski reports.

Brooks, 23, appeared in 20 games for the Rockets in 2020/21, averaging 11.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 1.5 APG with a shooting line of .406/.382/.583 in 26.0 minutes per contest. The former Houston Cougar had previously played in the G League since going undrafted in 2019.

After reaching free agency this offseason, Brooks re-signed with the Rockets on an Exhibit 10 contract, which the team converted to a two-way contract on Wednesday. Houston wouldn’t have been able to turn Brooks’ one-year Exhibit 10 contract into a four-year deal directly, but moving him to a two-way slot opened the door for the two sides to negotiate a new multiyear contract. The club will use part of its mid-level exception to complete the signing.

The move will create a bit of a roster crunch for the Rockets, since they already had 15 players on guaranteed contracts. John Wall, who technically remains with the team but isn’t expected to play in any games, is the most expendable player on the roster, but there hasn’t been any indication that a trade or buyout is close. Dante Exum could also be at risk — half of his $5MM cap hit consists of incentives that the club wouldn’t have to pay if Exum is cut.

Moving Brooks back to the standard roster will also open up a two-way slot for the Rockets. If former two-way player Tyler Bey clears waivers, perhaps he could return on a new deal. Camp invitee Daishen Nix is also a candidate to have his Exhibit 10 deal converted to a two-way pact.

Rockets Convert Armoni Brooks To Two-Way Contract, Waive Tyler Bey

October 13th, 2021 at 9:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Rockets are converting the contract of three-point shooting specialist Armoni Brooks to a two-way deal, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. The move is official, according to NBA.com’s transactions log. To make room, Houston has waived Tyler Bey, who was occupying one of the team’s two-way slots.

Brooks has been a consistent weapon all preseason, averaging 10 points per game and shooting 56.2% from the field. He poured in 15 points in the fourth quarter of Monday’s game at Toronto. Brooks signed a two-way deal with Houston in April and averaged 11.2 PPG over the final 20 games of the season.

Bey signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Rockets in August, then was waived September 18 when Houston re-signed Dante Exum. He was brought back on a two-way deal eight days later. Bey, who was with the Mavericks last season, saw action in just one of Houston’s preseason games.

The Rockets will also sign former EuroLeague guard Marcus Foster, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The 26-year-old played for both Panathinaikos and Turk Telekom Ankaran last season.

Ben Simmons Takes Physical, Meets With Sixers’ Brass

October 13th, 2021 at 10:46am CST by Luke Adams

After returning to Philadelphia on Monday, Sixers star Ben Simmons took his required physical and met with the team’s brass on Tuesday, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. That meeting included president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and general manager Elton Brand, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, who says sources described it only as “brief.”

Both Pompey and Shelburne indicate that Simmons won’t be cleared to participate in any team-related activities until at least Friday, due to the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols. As Brian Windhorst observed during an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up (video link) on Wednesday, that timeline suggests Simmons may not yet be fully vaccinated, since the league requires fully vaccinated players to register just one negative PCR test in order to interact with other players. Players who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated require at least four negative tests upon reporting to the team, according to ESPN.

We don’t know yet whether Simmons actually intends to return to the court and play for the 76ers following his holdout, but for what it’s worth, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report says the 25-year-old’s physical showed no signs that he isn’t healthy. Simmons will be able to begin conducting individual workouts with the assistance of Sixers coaches on Wednesday, Fischer notes.

As we wait to see what the next steps are for the Sixers and Simmons, there’s no indication that the team is anywhere close to making a trade. Both Fischer and Sam Amick of The Athletic have heard that Philadelphia continues to hold out hope that a star like Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal will become dissatisfied with his situation and ask for a trade, but that remains a long shot unless the Trail Blazers or Wizards get off to a really disastrous start this season.

According to Amick, Simmons’ camp hasn’t ruled out the possibility of a trade to the Nets, but sources with knowledge of the situation tell The Athletic that the Sixers have exhibited zero interest in pursuing a deal involving Kyrie Irving.

Fischer names the Cavaliers, Pistons, Rockets, Pacers, Timberwolves, Blazers, Kings, Spurs, and Raptors as the nine teams that have remained at least somewhat engaged with Philadelphia, and adds that a “mystery” 10th club has also had “substantive” discussions with the Sixers as of late. Not even Klutch Sports is certain of the identity of that 10th team, per Fischer, who cautions that the mystery suitor still hasn’t come close to meeting Morey’s asking price.

Here’s more on Simmons:

Sources tell Fischer that the Sixers have informed potential trade partners whose offers would be heavy on draft picks that their best bet would be a three-team structure in which Philadelphia lands at least one impact player, since Morey and his front office are interested in win-now pieces rather than future assets.
Although the Timberwolves still have interest in Simmons following their front office shake-up, new head of basketball operations Sachin Gupta isn’t believed to be pursuing the three-time All-Star as aggressively as Gersson Rosas did, according to Fischer.
The Kings remain unwilling to discuss either De’Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton in a potential Simmons deal, while the Sixers appear unmoved by the idea of acquiring Dejounte Murray and/or Lonnie Walker from the Spurs, sources tell Bleacher Report. Fischer adds that there’s a belief the Pistons would entertain trading Jerami Grant in a deal for Simmons.
Improving the relationship between Simmons and head coach Doc Rivers is believed to be a priority for the Sixers if Simmons is going to stick around for a little while, according to Fischer, who says the two men never seemed to build a strong rapport last season. Sources tell Bleacher Report that during an offseason meeting at agent Rich Paul‘s home, when the Sixers confirmed they intended to fine Simmons for not complying with the terms of his deal, Rivers shouted, “It’s in your f–king contract” to report to training camp and play for the team.

Feigen Examines Porter's Progress, Martin's Versatility

October 8th, 2021 at 10:35am CST by Luke Adams

In a pair of stories for The Houston Chronicle, Jonathan Feigen examines the positive steps Kevin Porter Jr. is taking as a play-making point guard and notes that Kenyon Martin Jr.‘s versatility could help him carve out a rotation role.

Rockets Waive Sekou Doumbouya

October 7th, 2021 at 5:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets have waived third-year forward Sekou Doumbouya, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets.

The move was expected, as Houston had no plans to retain Doumbouya after it acquired him from the Nets earlier this week. The Rockets obtained an unprotected 2024 second-round pick from Brooklyn in the salary dump. Doumbouya had a guaranteed $3,613,680 salary.

Detroit had high hopes for Doumbouya after picking him in the middle of the first round in 2019. However, he fell out of favor last season after Troy Weaver took over as GM, struggling to get playing time on the rebuilding team. In 2020/21, he averaged 5.1 PPG and 2.6 RPG in 56 games, including 11 starts.

Doumbouya was dealt to Brooklyn in another salary dump transaction by the Nets (DeAndre Jordan) that netted the Pistons four second-round picks and some cash.

Doumbouya, who is on track to clear waivers this weekend if he goes unclaimed, will now try to find another opportunity in the league.

Wolves Notes: Gupta, Finch, Durisic, Ehambe, Outlook

October 7th, 2021 at 1:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Just hours before word broke that the Timberwolves had fired head of basketball operations Gersson Rosas, team executive Sachin Gupta was meeting with Rosas to smooth things over in advance of the upcoming season, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

As has been previously reported, Gupta explored leaving the organization this summer when he received a job offer from the Rockets. He was blocked by Rosas from accepting that opportunity, since it technically would’ve been a lateral move based on his title, though Krawczynski suggests that it would have come with a “substantial” pay raise. That situation was said to have considerably strained the relationship between the two executives, but Gupta is diplomatic now when he discusses it.

“Those types of things happen around the league,” Gupta said. “I was just focused on doing the best that I could for everyone here in this building and for the team. I’m excited about the decisions that we were all able to make together. Really excited about where we’re at now and about moving forward.”

As Krawczysnki details, after meeting with Rosas to bury the hatchet, Gupta was summoned to meet later in the day with team owner Glen Taylor, who gave him control of the Wolves’ front office following Rosas’ dismissal.

“I’ll be honest, it was definitely a whirlwind that first day,” Gupta told Krawczysnki. “But now that we’re in camp and everyone’s ready to go, definitely everyone’s moved past what’s happened and is really focused on our goals for this year. There’s a lot of good energy in the building and a lot of excitement.”

Here’s more on the Wolves:

Gupta is close with Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, who says the two franchise leaders talk twice a day and are “leaning on each other a lot right now,” per Krawczynski. “I think we’re completely aligned, not just in terms of basketball philosophy, but in terms of our values and the kind of culture we want to build here,” Gupta said.
Zarko Durisic, a popular longtime Timberwolves scout who was let go by Rosas, is back with the team, according to Krawczynski (Twitter link). Durisic will have the same title (senior player personnel scout) and duties as he did before, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News.
After spending last season on Nate Bjorkgren‘s staff in Indiana, Moses Ehambe has joined the Timberwolves as the team’s director of player programs, a league source tells Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link).
While the Timberwolves are close to the tax line and likely won’t take on any extra salary this season, they have more flexibility going forward, opening the door for them to swap expiring deals for multiyear contracts, John Hollinger of The Athletic writes in his season preview. Hollinger likes some of the Wolves’ talent, but thinks they need another reliable forward or two and projects them to finish 12th in the West with a 36-46 record.

Nets Trade Doumbouya To Rockets, Acquire Sumner From Pacers

October 6th, 2021 at 2:06pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

OCTOBER 6: The Nets have now completed both trades, announcing in a press release that their deal with the Pacers is complete.

As we relayed earlier today, Brooklyn and Houston completed their trade on Wednesday morning, with the Rockets waiving Khyri Thomas in order to finalize the move.

OCTOBER 5: The Nets are making a pair of minor trades, according to reports. Brooklyn will send power forward Sekou Doumbouya (and his $3,613,680 salary) and an unprotected 2024 second-round draft pick to the Rockets in exchange for $110K, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link) and Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). The Rockets will waive Doumbouya, sources inform MacMahon.

In their other deal, the Nets will receive guard Edmond Sumner and a 2025 Heat second-round draft selection from the Pacers, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter). The Nets will subsequently waive Sumner, who is set to miss the entire 2021/22 season due to a torn left Achilles tendon. The Pacers will receive the draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet from Brooklyn in the deal, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Both of these transactions are essentially salary dumps. The Nets and Pacers are each attaching a second-round pick in order to avoid paying a player’s guaranteed salary. Both the Rockets and Nets have trade exceptions that will enable them to take on a new player without sending one out in a deal.

The Sumner deal creates extra breathing room below the tax line for the Pacers, as Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (Twitter link). The Pacers will save $2.3MM, dipping them to $2.8MM below the luxury tax line.

Meanwhile, Marks adds (via Twitter) that the Nets will save a total of $8.1MM as a result of the two deals: $6.8MM in projected luxury tax payments and $1.29MM in salary. Marks notes that Brooklyn was able to compensate for the outgoing 2024 second-rounder owed to Houston by adding the 2025 second-rounder in the Pacers transaction. So ultimately, the star-studded Nets saved $8.1MM while not losing cumulative draft equity.

The 6’8″ Doumbouya, 20, was selected with the No. 15 pick in the 2019 draft. Last season, he averaged 5.1 PPG and 2.6 RPG in 56 games with Detroit, including 11 starts.

Marks adds (Twitter link) that Brooklyn now gains a $3.6MM trade exception via the Doumbouya deal, and will probably use the exception to add Sumner. The Pacers have gained a $2.3MM trade exception.

Luke Adams contributed to this report.

Rockets Waive Khyri Thomas To Complete Trade With Nets

October 6th, 2021 at 10:24am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets have officially waived wing Khyri Thomas, the team announced today in a press release.

The move was necessary in order to make room on Houston’s 20-man preseason roster for Sekou Doumbouya, whom the club agreed to acquire from the Nets. Even though the Rockets intend to waive Doumbouya, they needed an open roster spot to complete the trade, which is now official, according to press releases from both the Rockets and Nets.

Thomas, 25, was the 38th overall pick in the 2018 draft. He appeared in 34 games for Detroit in his first two NBA seasons, but saw limited action, averaging just 2.3 PPG and 1.0 RPG in 10.5 MPG.

After being traded to Atlanta and waived during the 2020 offseason, Thomas caught on with the Rockets near the end of the 2020/21 season, playing well in five games with the team (16.4 PPG, 5.0 APG, and 3.6 RPG in 30.6 MPG). Houston signed him to a multiyear contract, but it wasn’t guaranteed for 2021/22, so the team is able to waive him without taking on dead money.

Thomas will clear waivers on Thursday, assuming he goes unclaimed. Meanwhile, once they waive Doumbouya, the Rockets will have an open spot on their 20-man roster. The Nets will now be able to complete their trade with Indiana, acquiring Edmond Sumner using their newly-created trade exception from the Doumbouya deal.

Southwest Notes: Thad, Spurs Youth, Wood, Clarke, Tillman

October 5th, 2021 at 5:43pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

New Spurs forward Thaddeus Young appears to be staying put in San Antonio for the time being. The Suns continue to be intrigued by the versatile veteran, but an immediate move is “doubtful,” per John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (Twitter link).

Young was sent to the Spurs from Chicago in the sign-and-trade package that netted the Bulls pricey small forward DeMar DeRozan during the 2021 offseason. The 33-year-old Young enjoyed a stellar year with the Bulls in 2020/21, averaging 12.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG and 4.3 APG while logging time at the small forward, power forward, and center positions for a Chicago team in desperate need of his veteran leadership, passing skills, and defensive savvy.

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

With longtime leaders DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills and Rudy Gay now all gone from the Spurs‘ roster, the club’s young players have developed a strong bond together, writes Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. “The Spurs do a great job of picking people who have great personalities off the court,” said 22-year-old shooting guard Lonnie Walker. “We all hang out every other day, going out to eat, doing something as a team… As we continue to build that trust, it starts to lead onto the court, knowing what each other can do, knowing what each other can’t do, what we should be better at.”
When Rockets center Christian Wood first inked a three-year, $41MM deal with Houston in the 2020 offseason, he was not anticipating that he’d soon find himself on a rebuilding roster. Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle details how Wood continues to look on the bright side of his new situation. At the time, the club still sported then-All-Star guards James Harden and Russell Westbrook, along with veteran power forward P.J. Tucker. Now all those players have moved on. Westbrook was subsequently traded to the Wizards later in the 2020 offseason (and has now been rerouted to the Lakers), while Harden forced his way onto the Nets and Tucker was sent to the 2021 title-winning Bucks. “I know what we’re trying to build and develop,” Wood said. “I’m looking ahead at the future at what this team has to offer. I know we have a bunch of young talent. I said before, we’re not going to go in try to be the No. 1 seed or No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. But we’re going to try to play every game like it’s our last.”
Though they could play together, defensive-oriented 6’8″ Grizzlies bench big men Brandon Clarke and Xavier Tillman Sr. seem poised to compete with each other to carve out rotation roles in Memphis, writes Chris Herrington of the Daily Memphian. Herrington suggests that Tillman may have an edge edge over Clarke in the eventual rotation, thanks in part to his solid shooting and half-court passing acumen.