Jalen Green Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Haliburton, Garland, Cunningham, Pistons

January 22nd, 2025 at 9:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

Tyrese Haliburton barely got off the bench when he was in Paris with Team USA for the Summer Olympics, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. That won’t be a concern when the Pacers face the Spurs on Thursday and Saturday, and Haliburton is looking forward to showing the French crowd what he can do.

“I’m excited to actually play — like, play — in this arena,” Haliburton said at a press conference Wednesday in Paris. “But I’m just excited to be here. It will be a fun atmosphere and a fun game.”

Haliburton brought home a gold medal, but he saw the least playing time of anyone on the U.S. team. Dopirak notes that Haliburton was dealing with a leg injury at the time and got into just three Olympic games, playing 26 total minutes and scoring eight points. He remains good-natured about the experience and said it was still special to be part of the Olympics.

“Definitely just life-long memories,” Haliburton said. “Regardless of what the experience was for me personally, I was a part of a group of 12 guys — there’s only 12 players that got to experience that. It definitely means a lot.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Cavaliers guard Darius Garland is playing at an All-Star level, but tough competition might prevent him from being selected for the game, observes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. LaMelo Ball and Garland’s backcourt partner Donovan Mitchell are the leaders among Eastern Conference guards in the latest round of fan voting, leaving Garland to battle for reserve spots with Damian Lillard, Tyrese Maxey, Trae Young, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham and Tyler Herro. “Listen, I’ll fight for (Garland),” teammate Tristan Thompson said. “I’ll be the bad guy. I’ll be Charles Oakley. I think Darius Garland should be (an All-Star), and everyone you guys put in front of him, he’s rang the bell and did what he had to do.”
Cunningham renewed his long rivalry with Jalen Green by posting 32 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as the Pistons defeated the Rockets on Monday. Their battles date back to AAU games when they were in eighth and ninth grade, Green’s father told Kelly Iko and Hunter Patterson of The Athletic, and they intensified after Cunningham was selected No. 1 and Green went No. 2 in the 2021 draft.
In a separate story, Patterson takes a mid-season look at the Pistons, who may be headed to the playoffs after winning just 14 games last season. He points to a few things that have helped Detroit exceed expectations, including Cunningham’s rise to stardom, the emergence of Jaden Ivey before suffering a broken fibula, the addition of Malik Beasley in free agency and the progress of second-year player Ausar Thompson and rookie Ron Holland.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Green Named Players Of The Week

January 20th, 2025 at 2:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been named the Player of the Week in the Eastern Conference, while Rockets guard Jalen Green has won the weekly award for the Western Conference, according to the NBA (Twitter link).

It’s the 25th time that Antetokounmpo has earned Player of the Week honors over the course of his decorated 12-year NBA career, including the second time this season.

In four games during the week of Jan. 13-19, the two-time MVP averaged 32.0 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists in 34.5 minutes per game, making 66.7% of his shots from the floor as the Bucks went 4-0. Milwaukee beat Sacramento, Orlando, Toronto, and Philadelphia by an average margin of 19 points per game in a dominant week.

Antetokounmpo beat out fellow nominees LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner, Darius Garland, Damian Lillard, and Onyeka Okongwu for the Eastern Conference award, per the NBA (Twitter link).

Green, meanwhile, was named Player of the Week for the first time this season and the second time in his four-year career. The former No. 2 overall pick has scored at least 26 points in eight consecutive games, including all four of Houston’s contests this past week.

Green led the Rockets to a 3-1 week by scoring 32.5 points per game on a scorching-hot shooting line of .606/.633/.962. He also chipped in 3.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per night.

A trio of Clippers – James Harden, Norman Powell, and Ivica Zubac – headlined the Western Conference’s other Player of the Week nominees and were joined by Devin Booker, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Scoot Henderson, Trey Murphy, and Jamal Murray.

Southwest Notes: Green, JJJ, Wemby, Williamson

January 14th, 2025 at 4:10pm CST by Luke Adams

The three-year, $105MM extension that the Rockets gave Jalen Green in the fall was widely viewed as a deal designed to be traded, especially given that it included a 10% trade kicker, a rare addition to a rookie scale extension. However, the fourth-year guard is taking major steps so far this season toward justifying Houston’s investment, as Kelly Iko of The Athletic writes.

Green has averaged 23.8 points per game on .470/.389/.884 shooting in his past 19 contests (34.4 MPG). Perhaps more importantly, he’s earning praise from head coach Ime Udoka for what he’s doing on the other end of the court.

“I love his defensive effort,” Udoka said after a victory over Memphis on Monday. “It goes under-noticed for him, probably underrated. He’s taken the challenge of (Desmond) Bane and (Ja) Morant, they’re trying to put him in actions and he’s holding up really well there, taking pride in that. Obviously, the scoring stands out. I saw he matched his career high (42 points), but taking care of the ball as well. Getting more used to teams going after him.”

As Iko writes, Green – a former No. 2 overall pick – hasn’t been discussed in the same breath as fellow top picks like Morant and Anthony Edwards, who have All-NBA seasons on their respective résumés. But if he can consistently produce like he has in the past month-and-a-half (and like he did last March), that could change.

“I’m right there,” Green said. “And if not, and no one thinks that, I’m just going to keep showing it.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

If Jaren Jackson Jr. earns an All-NBA nod or is named Defensive Player of the Year this season, he’ll become eligible for a super-max contract. If not, it could be tricky for the Grizzlies to extend him off of his current contract – which has a descending structure – before he reaches free agency in 2026. Keith Smith of Spotrac takes a closer look at the situation and explains why All-NBA recognition for Jackson may benefit both the seventh-year big man and his team.
Reigning Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama has improved his numbers across the board so far this season, with averages of 25.1 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.9 blocks, and 3.8 assists in 33.2 minutes per game through 33 outings. The rising Spurs star has made an extremely compelling case for a spot in the All-Star Game, teammate Chris Paul said on Monday, per Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. “Put him in the All-Star Game,” Paul said. “He deserves it, man. … He plays the game the right way. As humble of a star as you’d ever come across. Going to be Defensive Player of the Year. He’s got an opportunity to do it for 20 years straight, you know what I mean?”
Zion Williamson‘s performance in his return from a one-game suspension on Sunday was an encouraging one, as the Pelicans forward looked healthy and put forth an impressive defensive effort, registering five steals against the defending champion Celtics. Still, as Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes, Williamson and the Pelicans have had plenty of positive stretches in recent years, only for those stretches to be derailed by various setbacks, often injury-related. Weiss explores what the former No. 1 pick has to do to finish this season strong.

NBA Suspends Amen Thompson Two Games, Terry Rozier One Game

December 31st, 2024 at 2:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Rockets swingman Amen Thompson has been suspended for two games, while Heat guard Terry Rozier has received a one-game suspension, the NBA announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

Thompson and Rozier are being suspended for the roles they played in the on-court altercation that occurred during the final minute of the Heat/Rockets game in Houston on Sunday. In addition to the suspensions, the league announced that Rockets guard Jalen Green has been fined $35K and Heat guard Tyler Herro has been fined $25K for their involvement in the fracas.

Rockets head coach Ime Udoka has received a $50K fine for verbal abuse of a referee and not leaving the court in a timely manner after being ejected.

Additionally, Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet has been fined $35K for making “reckless” contact with official Marc Davis. That incident occurred moments before the altercation that led to the other penalties.

With Miami up by five points and about to inbound the ball with 35.7 seconds left in Sunday’s game, Herro and Thompson began exchanging words and bumping one another (Twitter video link). Thompson grabbed Herro by the jersey and threw him to the floor, which led to Rozier tackling Thompson as Green went after Rozier and several other players and coaches converged on the melee.

Once the dust settled, those four players, along with Udoka and Rockets assistant coach Ben Sullivan, were ejected. Sullivan is the only one of those ejected who wasn’t fined or suspended today.

Tensions were already running high leading up to the melee, as VanVleet was tossed from the game after arguing that a timeout should have been awarded to Houston before Davis called the team for a five-second violation on its inbound play (Twitter video link).

VanVleet made contact with Davis during the argument, which the veteran official deemed to be intentional, resulting in the guard’s ejection. Udoka was also sniping back and forth with Davis at that time and was eventually ejected for “unsportsmanlike comments,” per the crew chief.

The suspension will keep Thompson out of action for Wednesday’s game vs. Dallas and Friday’s contest vs. Boston. It will also cost him $127,586, which is 2/145ths of his $9,249,960 full-season salary, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).

Rozier, who will have to sit out Wednesday’s game vs. New Orleans, will forfeit $143,242, which is 1/174th of his $24,924,126 salary.

Heat/Rockets Altercation Likely To Result In Suspensions, Fines

December 30th, 2024 at 7:03am CST by Luke Adams

An on-court altercation broke out during the final minute of Sunday’s Heat/Rockets game, resulting in several ejections that will likely to lead to suspensions and/or fines for the players involved.

With Miami up by five points and about to inbound the ball with 35.7 seconds left in the game, Heat guard Tyler Herro and Rockets guard Amen Thompson began exchanging words and bumping one another (Twitter video link).

Thompson grabbed Herro by the jersey and threw him to the floor, which led to Heat guard Terry Rozier tackling Thompson as Rockets guard Jalen Green went after Rozier and several other players and coaches converged on the melee.

Once the dust settled, those four players, along with Rockets head coach Ime Udoka and assistant Ben Sullivan, were ejected. Crew chief Marc Davis explained the decision after the game to pool reporter Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

“During the dead ball, Thompsons grabs the jersey and body slams Herro,” Davis said. “Herro responds and they are both ejected for fighting fouls. Green is ejected as his actions escalated the altercation. Rozier as well is ejected as his actions were escalators to the altercation. Coach Sullivan is assessed a technical foul and ejected for his unsportsmanlike comments directed at me as I was attempting to redirect (Alperen) Sengun.”

Tensions were already running high leading up to the play, as Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet was tossed from the game moments earlier after arguing that a timeout should have been awarded to Houston before Davis called the team for a five-second violation on its inbound play (Twitter video link).

VanVleet made contact with Davis during the argument, which the veteran official deemed to be intentional, resulting in the guard’s ejection. Udoka was also sniping back and forth with Davis at that time and was eventually ejected for “unsportsmanlike comments,” per the crew chief.

Naji Marshall (four games), Jusuf Nurkic (three games), and P.J. Washington (one game) received suspensions on Saturday for their roles in an incident involving the Mavericks and Suns in Friday’s game, so it would be a surprise if similar penalties aren’t handed out in response to this latest skirmish.

Thompson seems likely to face the most significant punishment from the league, with Rozier and Green at risk of possible suspensions as well. It’s unclear how the NBA will view Herro’s role, given that he didn’t reenter the fray after initially being thrown to the floor.

Although it took the NBA less than 24 hours to make its ruling after the Mavs/Suns altercation, that was at least partly because both teams were in the middle of back-to-back sets and the league wanted to announce suspensions prior to Saturday’s games. Neither the Heat nor the Rockets play until Wednesday, so the NBA may take a little more time to review this case.

Thompson didn’t speak to reporters after Sunday’s game, but Herro suggested with a smile during his post-game media session that his own big night (27 points, nine assists, six rebounds) led to Thompson’s frustration.

“Guess that’s what happens when someone’s scoring, throwing dimes, doing the whole thing,” Herro said (Twitter video link). “I’d get mad, too.”

Texas Notes: Wembanyama, Rockets, Washington, Exum

December 15th, 2024 at 3:24pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

All-Defensive Spurs center Victor Wembanyama intends to suit up for the French national team every time he gets the chance, per L’Equipe (hat tip to Eurohoops for the translation). The 7’4″ big man added that he plans to rejoin his countrymen for the EuroBasket competition next summer.

“I don’t know the exact dates, but there’s always time to make it work with the French team,” Wembanyama said. “You just have to sacrifice a bit of your physical preparation for the following season. So yeah, it’s definitely my goal to play for the French team every summer.”

Wembanyama indicated that he had spoken with new Team France head coach Frederic Fauthoux about his intentions.

“I’ve spoken with him briefly since he became coach. But we haven’t formally discussed any specific deadlines,” Wembanyama said.

The reigning Rookie of the Year averaged 15.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 2.0 steals per game for the French national team during last summer’s Olympic games in Paris. France won its second consecutive silver medal thanks in large part to his efforts.

There’s more out of the Lone Star State:

While they didn’t get past the Thunder in the NBA Cup semifinals on Saturday, the Rockets proved that they belong in the conversation as legitimate threat in the West with their 91-90 tournament quarterfinal victory over Golden State, writes Kelly Iko of The Athletic. “When you get a taste of winning, it’s from the other side,” guard Jalen Green said after the win. “It’s a side I ain’t been on in two, three years of this. You’re going to do whatever it takes. So I saw the opportunity to dive on the floor, and I took it. The results came out amazing.”
In the midst of his best season yet, Mavericks forward P.J. Washington has emerged as a critical below-the-radar contributor, opines Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. To wit, Dallas has gone 1-5 without Washington available thus far this season. “[If] they watch the game and see how much dirty work he’s doing, he’s on the floor,” center Dereck Lively said of his teammate. “He’s gambling for loose balls. He’s trying to get a jump ball. He’s trying to get rebounds. He’s trying to attack the rim. He’s trying to shoot the ball. My man P.J. is an amazing player.”
Injured Mavericks guard Dante Exum is taking big strides as he works his way back from a right wrist surgery, Curtis tweets. He has missed all 25 of Dallas’ games so far this year — the Mavericks have gone 16-9 without him. “He’s doing a lot of work with the left hand to be able to go both ways with his right and left,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “I think his attitude and he’s been working extremely hard. He looks great.” When Exum underwent surgery in early October, reports indicated he was expected to miss three months.

Rockets Notes: NBA Cup, Udoka, Harden, Green

December 15th, 2024 at 10:06am CST by Arthur Hill

The Rockets were back on the national stage for the first time in several seasons with Saturday’s matchup against Oklahoma City in the NBA Cup semifinals, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Houston has become competitive again after four years of rebuilding, sitting in third place in the West at 17-9. Players were looking forward to the chance to compete in a high-stakes atmosphere, but the 111-96 loss indicates there’s still more work to be done.

“There’s always room to grow and get better,” said Fred VanVleet, one of the few members of the roster with a history of playing in big games. “You would like to learn by winning all the time and everything to be great, but that’s not reality. I think it’s a valuable experience being here with the stage and the way the NBA has kind of set up this game and this weekend. It has that playoff-style atmosphere, intensity.”

The Rockets and Thunder boast two of the NBA’s top defenses, which were both on display during an intense first half that ended with Houston holding a 42-41 lead. The Rockets couldn’t find enough shooting to keep up in the second half as several of their stars failed to produce. VanVleet and Jalen Green combined to shoot 8-of-29 from the field and 2-of-19 from beyond the arc. Alperen Sengun finished with 13 points after making just two of his first 10 shots as OKC packed the paint and dared Houston to shoot from the outside.

“It’s a playoff atmosphere, and everybody is playing to move on obviously,” coach Ime Udoka said. “So, you’ve got to bring your ‘A’ game. Obviously when you look at the stats, look down the stat sheet, I would say Amen (Thompson) and Tari (Eason) really brought their ‘A’ game off the bench. Other than that, we really struggled, from the starters. You have to play better in certain situations like this.”

There’s more on the Rockets:

Sam Amick of The Athletic looks at the culture change Udoka has brought to Houston, including a “no friends on the floor” philosophy that has made the Rockets one of the NBA’s most combative teams. Udoka’s direct approach with his players has been very effective in creating an identity. “For a young team, it’s amazing because it just sets a good … foundation for guys to grow and get better,” VanVleet said. “But I would say he earns that right too. … He’s not just motherf—ing guys for no reason. He earns that relationship and that trust as a leader every day leading the group, leading the coaches, leading the franchise.”
One of the first major decisions the Rockets faced after hiring Udoka was whether to pursue free agent James Harden, who had expressed an interest in returning to Houston, Amick adds. Harden and his representatives met with Udoka in the summer of 2023, but it was determined that his best move was to sign elsewhere. “My main thing for us was, ‘What fits best with our young guys to continue to grow?’” Udoka said. “But also, out of respect for James, (I told him), ‘You’re at the stage where you want to win, and we’re not there yet.’ And it wasn’t just James. I had five, six veteran guys who went to championship-level teams who wanted to come (that summer), and I said the same thing to all of them.”
Green spoke to Marc J. Spears of Andscape about the evolution of his game and how Udoka has challenged him to become more than just a scorer.

Rockets Notes: Green, Thompson, Sengun, NBA Cup, VanVleet, Eason

December 9th, 2024 at 7:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets didn’t commit a turnover in the final 20 minutes of their win over the Clippers on Sunday despite the absence of Fred VanVleet, who is recovering from a right knee injury.

It was a very encouraging sign for coach Ime Udoka, who leaned on Jalen Green, Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun to organize the offense, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes.

“He’s such a calming influence for the team, that kind of gets us into what we need to a lot,” Udoka said of VanVleet. “We still want guys to grow and learn that. So when he’s not out there, it’s good for us to do it a little bit more. We went to a few different guys to initiate offense.”

We have more on the Rockets:

Houston will face the Warriors in the NBA Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday. It’s possible that VanVleet could return to action for the tournament game. Forward Tari Eason, who has missed the last two games while in concussion protocol, could also return Wednesday, according to Feigen.
Thompson already sees himself as a top-notch defender in his second NBA season, he told Mark Medina of Sportskeeda. “I view myself as one of the best defenders. Obviously, I think it’s very hard to score on me. I think my presence is known on defense,” he said.
Udoka made several stops in Europe during his playing career. He has some “overseas” advice for Turkish native Sengun, Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net relays. “My biggest thing with him is, I say to him, ‘Don’t get the European out of your game. Play through stuff. Stop crying,’” Udoka said.

Rockets Notes: Eason, Thompson, Green, Sengun, VanVleet

December 4th, 2024 at 2:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Discussing the Rockets on the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reiterated a point he made last month, stating that rival teams believe Houston is poised to make a big trade, while the Rockets themselves are letting it be known that they’re in no hurry to pull the trigger on that sort of deal.

“You look at (their young players), you look at their draft assets, you look at where they are in the standings,” Windhorst said. “… It seems like they’re primed for a trade. And believe me, teams in the league believe the same thing. But the message that I have been told, and I think I was told it to spread the word, is that Amen Thompson and Tari Eason are untouchable.”

Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported a couple weeks ago that the Rockets aren’t looking to break up their core this season even if a player like Giannis Antetokounmpo is available. Tim MacMahon of ESPN said people in Houston have conveyed a similar sentiment to him.

“I’ve just spent some time around the Rockets and I was told by more than one person – very firmly, very adamantly – they will not change the core of that team this season,” MacMahon said. “Maybe they make a fringe rotation type of deal, but they are going to play this season out with the core of that team, is what they’re saying right now.”

As ESPN’s Tim Bontemps points out, the young player who seems most likely to be the centerpiece of a significant Rockets trade offer is Jalen Green, and he would be extremely difficult to move this season due to the poison pill provision, which – as a result of his recent contract extension – creates a significant disparity between his incoming and outgoing salary for matching purposes until July. With that in mind, it makes sense that Houston would prefer to wait until at least next summer to more seriously weigh its trade options.

Windhorst notes that the Rockets’ stance on certain players could change once they begin pursuing a trade in earnest.

“It’s also a negotiating position to say (Thompson and Eason are untouchable),” he said. “Because at the end of the day they are role players.”

“This is exactly what you do when you have 19 interesting trade assets, all these draft picks and all these young guys,” Bontemps added. “You say, ‘Hey, every good thing we’ve got, we’re not sure we’re going to do anything with any of those.’ And then you start to negotiate.”

Here’s more on the Rockets:

The Rockets are going to be “very selective” about cashing in their top trade chips, according to MacMahon, who said on the Hoop Collective podcast that the team will be seeking an “age-appropriate” star to add to its core. Noting that Houston would have had serious interest in Donovan Mitchell if he had emerged as a trade candidate instead of signing an extension with the Cavaliers, MacMahon said the Rockets know they need a “legitimate offensive engine” in order to become a real title contender.
Houston isn’t giving up on the idea that the offensive star they need could emerge from among the players currently on the roster, per MacMahon: “They’re not ruling out that Jalen Green could become that. I think they have some evidence that it’s possible from last season. They’re not ruling out that (Alperen) Sengun can continue developing. He’s still a young guy. … They’re not ruling that Tari Eason could become that.”
After his statement about Eason was met with skepticism by Bontemps, who questioned the third-year forward’s offensive ceiling, MacMahon further explained the Rockets’ position: “(Head coach) Ime Udoka, on the record, he was asked (last month), ‘Who does Tari Eason remind you of?’ He said, ‘A young Kawhi Leonard, who I’ve coached.’ A lot of that is just the defensive impact. Physically, he’s as close to Kawhi as you can get. The size, the hands, the athleticism, the defensive impact. … But they’re not ruling out that Eason could have a Kawhi- (or) Jimmy Butler-type of track. Now that’s pie-in-the-sky, top-end scenario. I’m just saying they’re not ruling out that possibility. … All those guys, they’re not ruling out they could emerge as the No. 1 offensive player. (But) most likely, it’s going to have to be a trade.”
While it’s probably not realistic to expect offensive stardom from Thompson, who has made just 14 career three-point shots, the Rockets remain very high on his upside due to his defense and athleticism. “We’ll see what Thompson becomes as a scorer, but they think he has to be a chance to be a hyper-athletic wing version of a Draymond Green, where you’re just wrecking things defensively,” MacMahon said.
In a story for The Athletic, Iko explores how Fred VanVleet‘s experiences during his final years in Toronto helped prepare him to take a step back this season in order to accelerate the development of the Rockets’ young players. VanVleet’s usage rate so far in 2024/25 is 19.6%, which would be his lowest mark since 2018/19.

Western Rumors: Kings, Grant, Kessler, Moody, Looney, Rockets, A. Mitchell

December 2nd, 2024 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings are off to a disappointing 9-12 start this season, already 2.5 games back of a play-in spot in the Western Conference, prompting executives around the NBA to keep an eye on the situation in Sacramento to see if the front office will make another move to try to upgrade its roster, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Citing a “heightened sense of urgency” in Sacramento, Scotto suggests that teams talking to the Kings will be eager to see if the club is willing to part with first-round picks, rookie Devin Carter, or perhaps former No. 4 overall pick Keegan Murray, who has essentially been off the table in trade discussions in recent years.

For now, it seems safe to assume that the Kings will dangle Kevin Huerter and Trey Lyles in trade talks, according to Scotto, who points out that both players were also available last season. Between Huerter’s $16.8MM cap hit and Lyles’ $8MM expiring deal, Sacramento could get to about $25MM in matching salary and then sweeten an offer from there by adding draft capital and/or a young player.

Here are a few more Western Conference rumors from Scotto:

Although Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant and Jazz center Walker Kessler are both considered potential trade candidates, Portland has been unwilling to move Grant without getting two first-round picks back and Utah has sought at least two first-rounders for Kessler, Scotto writes. Teams with interest in Grant and Kessler have viewed the Blazers’ and Jazz’s asking prices as too high, Scotto notes.
Moses Moody signed a three-year contract extension with the Warriors before the season, but his role hasn’t increased at all, leading to speculation that he’s a player to monitor as a possible trade chip, says Scotto. “Moody could be part of a package in a bigger deal, and (head coach) Steve Kerr still doesn’t play him 20 minutes a game,” one league executive told HoopsHype. Moody would be subject to the poison pill provision if he’s dealt this season, which wouldn’t preclude a trade but would make it more complicated.
The Knicks, Thunder, and Grizzlies had “exploratory” trade interest in Warriors center Kevon Looney during the offseason before they addressed frontcourt holes in other ways, Scotto reports. Looney, who is on an $8MM expiring contract, has been Golden State’s leading rebounder (7.6 RPG) despite playing just 14.9 minutes per night.
Despite reports insisting the Rockets aren’t looking to break up their young core to acquire a player like Kevin Durant or Giannis Antetokounmpo, many rival executives believe it’s just a matter of when – not if – Houston makes a big splash on the trade market, according to Scotto. Those execs believe Jalen Green won’t be off limits in future Rockets trade talks, even after signing a three-year, $105MM+ contract extension in October.
Thunder rookie Ajay Mitchell, who has impressed in a rotation role this fall, is considered a strong candidate to be promoted from his two-way contract to the standard roster later this season, per Scotto. Oklahoma City currently has a full 15-man roster, but has some flexibility with its last roster spot, which is held by Branden Carlson on a non-guaranteed deal.