Houston Rockets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Texas Notes: Wood, Theis, Forbes, Johnson

October 24th, 2021 at 3:32pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Rockets big man Christian Wood has used a perceived Team USA Olympic selection slight and a positional switch from center to power forward as fuel for his own development, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

“(The move to power forward from center) allows me to show what I can do, and it allows the floor to be open, and I can create for other guys and I can create for myself,” said Wood, who connected on 37.4% of his 5.0 three point looks per night during the 2020/21 season. “I wanted to be one of the best bigs in this league, and I have to go out every night and show that.”

“There’s been big-time growth, there’s been big-time maturity, there’s been a lot,” head coach Stephen Silas raved following a 31-point, 14-rebound, three-block performance from Wood in a 124-91 victory over the Thunder on Friday. “I think another part of it is the fact that this is the first time he’s been on the same team for two consecutive years. And you see the growth from year to year, you see the trust that goes back and forth between he and I, the trust that goes back and forth between him and his teammates who know him and know what he can do.”

There’s more out of the Lone Star State:

Newly-acquired Rockets center Daniel Theis hopes to stick around Houston to watch the club’s exciting young core develop, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “I want to help them grow and get better on court, off court,” Theis said. “I have a good relationship with Jalen (Green). He listens a lot on the court, off the court he’s going to learn a lot. The same with Scoot (Kevin Porter Jr.)… Just help them to grow and get better.” The 6’8″ Theis is starting at center after signing a four-year, $36MM contract with Houston in a sign-and-trade with the Bulls over the summer. The addition of Theis has allowed for the 6’10” Wood to move to the power forward position.
On Saturday night, Spurs shooting guard Bryn Forbes reunited with his last club, the Bucks, with whom he won the NBA title this summer. Ahead of the game, he expressed his eagerness to collect his championship ring, per Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. “I’m excited to have that in my possession and hold it,” Forbes said. “It’s an accomplishment you dream of your whole life.”
Young Spurs small forward Keldon Johnson appears to be developing nicely during this early portion of his third NBA season, writes Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. The 22-year-old Johnson, selected with the No. 29 pick out of Kentucky in 2019, set a career high for points in a half with 18 against the Nuggets Friday, finishing with 27 for the game. “I just keep pressure on the rim,” Johnson said. “That’s what I do.” In recent comments, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich offered a frank appraisal of Johnson’s strengths — and weaknesses. “When he catches and makes quick decisions — shoots it or passes it — that works best for him,” Popovich said. “When he’s just dribbling and trying to beat somebody, that doesn’t work out very well.”

Gerald Green Retires, Joins Rockets Coaching Staff

October 22nd, 2021 at 7:38pm CST by Rory Maher

Veteran guard Gerald Green has retired from the NBA as a player and will be joining the Rockets as a player development coach, the team announced (Twitter link).

Green, who played 12 seasons in the NBA, worked out for the Rockets last month, but wasn’t picked up by the rebuilding team. He joined the Rockets for the 2020/21 preseason, but was waived before the season started due to cap constraints. He suffered a broken foot in October of 2019 and missed the entire 2019/20 season because of the injury. The last time he played in regular season games was in 2018/19, when he was a rotation player for the Rockets.

The 18th pick of the 2005 draft, Green played in 658 NBA games during his 12 seasons, holding career averages of 9.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 19.8 minutes per game, with a shooting slash line of .417/.361/.818.

Arguably his best individual season came in 2013/14 with Phoenix, when he played all 82 games (48 starts) and averaged 15.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 28.4 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .445/.400/.848.

The Houston native played for eight teams over the course of his career: the Celtics, Timberwolves, Mavericks, Nets, Pacers, Suns, Heat, and Rockets. He had two separate stints with both the Celtics and Rockets.

An amazing athlete, Green was one of the best dunkers the NBA has ever seen. He was the champion of the 2007 Slam Dunk Contest and runner-up in 2008. He also developed into a strong, albeit streaky, three-point shooter in the latter portion of his career, playing important minutes in Houston’s run to the Western Conference Finals in 2017/18.

Rockets React To Opening Night Blowout

October 21st, 2021 at 11:13am CST by Luke Adams

Ahead of their regular season opener, the youthful Rockets were enthusiastic about embracing the challenge ahead, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Following a blowout loss in Minnesota on Wednesday, they have a better sense of what that challenge entails, Feigen writes. “It’s the NBA. It’s grown men,” rookie Jalen Green said of the physicality he experienced in his regular season debut. “I’m 19 years old. It’s not high school any more. It’s the real league, a man’s league.”

Southwest Notes: Jackson, Nwaba, Zion, Luka

October 19th, 2021 at 9:05pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The lucrative four-year, $105MM rookie extension that power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. signed this week with the Grizzlies is very much predicated on his ceiling. Evan Barnes of the Memphis Commercial Appeal details why he considers the agreement mutually beneficial to both sides in a new piece. A big reason: the contract will decrease in value every season once it kicks in, which will give Memphis room to further bolster the roster.

“I’m locked in, I’m blessed, I’m happy I get to be here and be around people I love,” the 6’11” big man said of the deal and his chemistry in Memphis. “It’s a good experience.”

Due to Jackson’s extensive injury history, the agreement contains injury protection related to his left knee, but it only applies to the last year of the deal (for 2025/26), a source informed John Hollinger of The Athletic.

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

Following two injury-plagued years, Rockets swingman David Nwaba is relishing his good health heading into the 2021/22 season, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Nwaba suffered an Achilles injury in December 2019, and then a right wrist injury in February of this year that ultimately required surgery. “Hopefully, just take care of my body for the length of this season,” Nwaba said of his hopes for the year. “I think we’ve had a lot of improvements on the defensive end.” All told, the 28-year-old has been healthy for just 50 of his past 144 games with Brooklyn and Houston.
Thanks to an uncertain recovery timeline for the injured foot of All-Star power forward Zion Williamson, the Pelicans have already proved frustrating to fans ahead of the 2021/22 season, opines Scott Kushner of the NOLA.com. Williamson and team president David Griffin made it seem like the former No. 1 pick could be back in time for the beginning of the year, but it appears that the team was either too hopeful or being deliberately disingenuous, Kushner says.
Mavericks All-Star point guard Luka Doncic expressed his excitement about the club’s development ahead of the 2021/22 season, according to Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News. “I think we’re playing great, sharing the ball,” Doncic said of the team’s 4-0 preseason showing. “Especially on the defensive end, we’ve been way better, and I think that’s the key for us.”

Rockets Claim Garrison Mathews, Waive Anthony Lamb

October 18th, 2021 at 5:02pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets have made a change to one of their two-way contract slots, waiving forward Anthony Lamb and replacing him with guard Garrison Mathews, reports Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter links). According to Iko, Houston claimed Mathews off waivers and converted his Exhibit 10 contract to a two-way deal.

Mathews, who was on a two-way contract with Washington for each of the past two seasons after going undrafted out of Lipscomb in 2019, emerged as a regular rotation player for Washington in 2020/21, averaging 5.5 PPG in 64 games (16.2 MPG). The 24-year-old shooting guard has displayed a reliable outside shot since entering the NBA, making 38.9% of 244 total three-point attempts.

The Celtics signed Mathews to a training camp contract this offseason and he was a candidate to be converted to a two-way deal in Boston, but he reportedly asked the team not to do so. According to Jared Weiss of The Athletic, Mathews thought it was unlikely he’d be promoted to the Celtics’ standard roster during the season if he were on a two-way deal with the team. There’s a better path to a 15-man roster spot in Houston, where the Rockets will likely try to trade some veterans this season.

As for Lamb, he played in the G League bubble with the Canton Charge and Rio Grande Valley Vipers earlier this year after going undrafted out of Vermont in 2020. His solid showing for Houston’s G League affiliate (the Vipers) earned him a two-way deal with the Rockets in March. He averaged 5.5 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 24 games (17.3 MPG) for Houston, then accepted his two-way qualifying offer this offseason. He’s a candidate to return to the Vipers.

The Rockets also completed another minor transaction, quietly signing and waiving big man Mfiondu Kabengele, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. The sign-and-waive move ensures that Houston can make Kabengele an affiliate player for Rio Grande Valley, assuming he signs a G League contract.

Kabengele, 24, was the 27th overall pick in the 2019 draft, but barely played for the Clippers in his rookie year and had his rookie scale team option for the 2021/22 season turned down. He was traded to the Kings at the 2021 deadline, then caught on with the Cavaliers after being cut by Sacramento. The 6’9″ Canadian played in 16 games for the Cavs down the stretch, averaging 4.3 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 11.6 minutes per contest.

Because Kabengele signed his Exhibit 10 contract with Houston on Sunday and wasn’t cut until Monday, he’ll still be on waivers when the regular season begins. That means the Rockets will take on a small cap hit for a couple days worth of his minimum salary.

Rockets Sign, Waive Christian Vital

October 16th, 2021 at 8:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Rockets have signed and waived former Connecticut point guard Christian Vital, according to NBA.com’s transactions log. He will likely wind up with the team’s G League affiliate in Rio Grande Valley after clearing waivers.

Vital, 24, signed to play in Germany last year after going undrafted. However, his contract was later terminated and he wound up in the G League bubble with the Memphis Hustle. He was briefly in training camp with the Grizzlies last December, also on a sign-and-waive arrangement.

Vital received first-team honors in the American Athletic Conference as a senior in 2020, averaging 16.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.5 steals per game.

Rockets Waive Dante Exum

October 16th, 2021 at 4:22pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets have placed guard Dante Exum on waivers in order to set their roster for the regular season, the team announced today in a press release.

Exum signed a three-year deal with the Rockets last month that had a base value of $8.1MM and included another $8MM+ in likely and unlikely incentives. There were conflicting reports on Exum’s salary details, but Hoops Rumors can confirm that his $2.5MM base salary for the 2021/22 salary was non-guaranteed, so Houston won’t be on the hook for any dead money.

The fact that Exum’s deal was fully non-guaranteed made it a fairly straightforward decision to release him in advance of the regular season, since the Rockets have 15 other players with guaranteed salaries. The team also has both its two-way contract slots filled.

Exum, the fifth overall pick in the 2014 draft, finished last season with Houston after coming over in the four-team James Harden trade, but he didn’t play at all during his time with the Rockets. The former Jazz and Cavs guard will clear waivers and become an unrestricted free agent on Monday.

Southwest Notes: Mavs, Grizzlies, Rockets, Pelicans, Gordon

October 15th, 2021 at 6:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on the podcast 10 Questions with Kyle Brandt, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said he has a vaccine mandate for his employees.

“It is your choice. It is absolutely, positively up to you. But there are consequences that come with that,” Cuban said, per Selby Lopez of The Dallas Morning News. “If you work for me, I require my employees to be vaccinated unless there’s a doctor’s reason where they can’t be.”

Since the NBA doesn’t require its players to be vaccinated, that mandate doesn’t apply to the players on Dallas’ roster such as Trey Burke, who said during training camp he remains unvaccinated.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

John Hollinger of The Athletic interprets the Grizzlies‘ summer trades of Jonas Valanciunas and Grayson Allen as signals that the team isn’t feeling pressure to take another big step forward after making the playoffs last season. Hollinger expects his old club’s end-of-season record to look similar to last year’s, projecting a 41-41 finish.
Hollinger also recapped the offseason and previewed the upcoming season for the Rockets and Pelicans. He was confused by Houston’s four-year commitment to Daniel Theis, given that most other veterans on the roster seem to be on the trade block, but expects the Rockets to be entertaining in 2021/22, projecting 26 wins. Hollinger had mixed feelings on New Orleans’ offseason, but suggests the moves look better in totality than they did individually at the time, and forecasts 43 wins for the Pels.
Rahat Huq of The Houston Chronicle explores whether the Rockets should hang onto Eric Gordon or focus on trying to find a trade that gets him to a contender as soon as possible. As Huq observes, it’s difficult to find a good match for Gordon at this point, so it probably makes sense for the team to sit tight and see if more opportunities open up by the trade deadline or next offseason.

Rockets Convert Daishen Nix’s Deal To Two-Way Contract

October 15th, 2021 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

4:01pm: The Rockets have issued a press release confirming that Nix’s deal has been converted to a two-way contract and announcing that they’ve waived Marcus Foster.

1:09pm: The Rockets are converting Daishen Nix‘s Exhibit 10 contract to a two-way deal, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Houston entered this week with Anthony Lamb and Tyler Bey occupying its two-way slots. However, Bey was waived so that the team could first convert Armoni Brooks to a two-way deal, then negotiate a new multiyear contract with him. Now that Brooks has finalized a new four-year pact and moved back to the standard roster, the Rockets have an open two-way spot, and it looks like Nix will fill it.

Nix was one of a handful of prospects who opted to forgo college ball in favor of a spot on the G League Ignite last season. The 6’5″ guard averaged 8.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 5.3 APG in 15 games (26.5 MPG) for the Ignite, but made just 38.4% of his shots from the floor, including 17.6% from beyond the arc.

After playing for the Sixers in Summer League, Nix signed a non-guaranteed camp deal with the Rockets. He made a cameo in just one of Houston’s preseason games and recorded more turnovers (2) than points (0) in his limited minutes, but it appears the team wants to see more from the 19-year-old.

Nix figures to split time between the Rockets and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the G League as long as he remains on a two-way deal with the club.

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.