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And-Ones: Morris, Dwight, Cousins, D-League

December 18th, 2015 at 3:07pm CST by Chuck Myron

Markieff Morris gives the impression that he’s at ease with his situation in Phoenix, even amid his benching, and Suns coach Jeff Hornacek has expressed confidence that Morris will regain his shooting touch, as Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic details. Morris said that he knew when Hornacek told him he was taking him out of the rotation for the team’s December 6th game in an effort to match up better against the Grizzlies that the move wouldn’t merely be for a single night, but the power forward was vague when asked if he wants to be traded, according to Coro.

“I’m just here for the Phoenix Suns,” Morris said. “That’s all I can be.”

The Suns have made Morris “very available” and are engaged in serious discussions with the Rockets about a deal that would send Morris out for Terrence Jones and Corey Brewer, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported. See more from the Association:

  • Some people around the league think the Rockets might see fit to let go of Dwight Howard if his health won’t allow him to be a consistent presence in the lineup, ESPN’s Chris Broussard said in an appearance on ESPN’s “Russillo @ Kanell” radio show (audio link). Howard is indeed frustrated about his health, his limited role on offense and the team’s losing, but he’s trying to remain positive and make the situation work in Houston, Broussard also said. Howard, whom the Rockets expect to opt out and hit free agency this summer, has only missed one game since November 21st and has appeared in three sets of back-to-backs over that period.
  • DeMarcus Cousins‘ name continues to pop up in trade rumors, but Kings GM Vlade Divac once more made it clear that the All-Star center isn’t going anywhere, reiterating to Marc Stein of ESPN.com this week that Cousins is “off the table.”
  • Less roster churn for the Sixers, a paucity of teams with open roster spots, and a simple lack of talent are among the reasons why the D-League has seen fewer players called up to the NBA thus far this season compared to this point in 2014/15, as Adam Johnson of D-League Digest examines.
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Rockets Seriously Interested In Markieff Morris

December 18th, 2015 at 2:16pm CST by Will Joseph

DECEMBER 18TH, 2:16pm: The discussions about a trade that would send Morris to Houston for Brewer and Jones have been serious, and a distinct possibility exists that such a deal will happen, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com, who nonetheless points to Brewer’s ineligibility for inclusion in a deal before January 15th. Morris is nonetheless “very available,” Stein writes.

DECEMBER 15TH, 1:46pm: The Suns have talked about a deal with Houston for Corey Brewer and Terrence Jones, a source told Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops. Brewer is ineligible for inclusion in a trade until January 15th.

DECEMBER 7TH, 8:04am: The belief around the league is growing that the Suns are prepared to trade Morris, Stein writes in a full piece. Houston would likely deal away Jones in any swap that brings in Morris, sources tell Stein. Stein and Coro point to Marcus Morris calling Brandon Knight “soft” after the Suns-Pistons game last week as a potential signal of turmoil for Markieff in Phoenix. Still, after Friday’s game, one in which Markieff played but came off the bench, he seemed OK with no longer starting, as Coro noted in a separate piece.

“It’s cool,” Morris said. “Me and Coach [Jeff Hornacek] talked about it. Try to catch a rhythm with the second unit. Whatever’s good for the team is what I’m good with. It is what it is. Jon [Leuer] and Mirza [Teletovic] have been playing really well. If you ask me if I deserve it, I haven’t been playing too well. I’m with whatever the team wants.”

DECEMBER 6TH, 11:23pm: The Rockets are interested in acquiring Markieff Morris from the Suns, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter links).

Morris received his first benching by coach’s decision since 2011/12, the power forward’s rookie season, on Sunday. Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic described Morris’ situation as “reheated.” Morris, Coro notes, did not speak with reporters Sunday. Morris issued a trade demand in August after his brother, Marcus, was shipped to the Pistons. When training camp started, however, Morris declared he wanted to be in Phoenix. All along, the Suns seemed to want to repair his hurt feelings and retain him on the roster. Still, trade rumors have swirled with the Pistons reportedly interested in acquiring his services and reuniting him with his brother. Marcus observed that he looked unhappy last month.

The Rockets have struggled this season and currently own an underwhelming 10-11 record. Despite his inconsistency this season, Morris is averaging 12.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game — numbers in line with his career averages. Interestingly, the Rockets are reportedly mulling the idea of trading power forwards Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas. As Stein points out, trades will become easier after December 15th, the first day that most of the players who signed new contracts over the summer can be traded.

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Rockets Mull Trading Jones, Motiejunas

December 15th, 2015 at 1:41pm CST by Chuck Myron

DECEMBER 15TH, 1:41pm: The Rockets have had discussions with several teams about trading Jones, but they’d like to keep him, sources tell Watkins, who confirms earlier reports of the team’s interest in Morris.

DECEMBER 7TH, 11:09am: Houston is holding on to Jones for now, even as several teams around the league want to trade for him, tweets Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com. Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported late Sunday that the Rockets would likely relinquish Jones if they were to deal for Markieff Morris.

DECEMBER 4TH, 2:39pm: The Rockets are looking into trading either Terrence Jones, Donatas Motiejunas or both, a source tells Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops (Twitter link). It’s unclear whether Houston has reached out to other teams about the power forwards or if the discussion is merely internal. SheridanHoops editor Chris Sheridan, who relayed Scotto’s reporting, said the team was “kicking tires” on the idea.

Rockets officials have been “sniffing around” for deals, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders wrote this week, though they aren’t exploring trades involving Ty Lawson, Kyler later heard. Houston is a disappointing 8-11 but has won three of its last four.

Motiejunas has yet to play this season as he recovers from a back injury that prematurely ended his 2014/15 campaign, though interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff made comments today that suggested he’s open to the idea of Motiejunas making his season debut tonight, reports Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Jones has been healthy this year after missing much of last season with a nerve injury that prompted him to worry he’d never play again.

Both Jones and Motiejunas abandoned extension talks after their reps were reportedly unable to make any headway as they negotiated with GM Daryl Morey and company. That means the pair of former first-round picks are set for restricted free agency in July. In the meantime, they’re playing on the final seasons of their respective rookie scale contracts, with Jones making slightly less than $2.49MM and Motiejunas pulling down about $2.288MM.

The Rockets are hamstrung as they make moves this season, since they imposed an $88.74MM hard cap on themselves when they signed second-round pick Montrezl Harrell, who plays the same position as Jones and Motiejunas. Houston is less than $2MM shy of that cap. The team has a trade exception worth less than $1MM that’s set to expire on December 19th, and while it holds relatively little value, it could come in handy if the team constructs a complicated trade.

Should the Rockets trade Jones, Motiejunas, both, or neither? Leave a comment to give your input.

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Southwest Notes: Anderson, McDaniels, Leonard

December 15th, 2015 at 1:15pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Rockets have “kicked the tires” on trade scenarios involving Markieff Morris and Ryan Anderson, though it doesn’t seem likely they’ll deal for either, writes Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. It’s clear the team has shopped Terrence Jones and K.J. McDaniels, though Rockets sources label such talk as routine and due diligence, Kyler adds. Sources told Marc Stein of ESPN.com earlier this month that the Rockets were interested in Morris and would likely give up Jones to get him. The Pelicans would consider giving up Anderson for Morris, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports, but New Orleans is not anxious to trade him, Kyler wrote earlier this month. McDaniels has appeared for a total of only 39 minutes this season after signing a three-year, $10MM deal in the offseason. See more from around the Southwest Division:

  • Rookie scale contracts will look “like gold” as the salary cap escalates and their dollar values remain the same, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said to Zach Lowe of ESPN.com in the offseason, a signal that the team knows it must replenish its youth, Lowe writes. Dallas is turning away any teams interested in trading for Justin Anderson, this year’s 21st overall pick, sources tell Lowe.
  • Kawhi Leonard won the Defensive Player of the Year award last season, and after signing a five-year max deal to stay with the Spurs in the summer, his defense has improved even further, Spurs coach/executive Gregg Popovich acknowledged, as Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News relays (Twitter links).
  • The Pelicans have been slow to pick up the ball movement principles in new coach Alvin Gentry‘s offense, observes John Reid of The Times Picayune. New Orleans struggled with injuries throughout the preseason, keeping players from the opportunity to learn the new system. The Pelicans have the NBA’s third-worst record, though that puts them in prime lottery position, as our Reverse Standings show.
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And-Ones: Rockets, Knicks, Robinson

November 1st, 2015 at 9:21pm CST by Will Joseph

The Rockets remain skeptical that they will be able to reach agreements on signing rookie scale extensions for forwards Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports. The deadline for rookie scale extensions is Monday. It was recently reported that both players preferred to set themselves up for restricted free agency this coming summer. Both Motiejunas and Jones are considered “vitally important” to the team, according to Feigen.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

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Jones, Motiejunas Nix Rockets Extension Talks

October 29th, 2015 at 9:12am CST by Chuck Myron

Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas are taking a pass on signing rookie scale extensions with the Rockets and will instead set themselves up for restricted free agency this coming summer, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. Neither was able to gain traction in talks with the team, Charania adds. The deadline for rookie scale extensions is Monday.

That Houston was apparently not willing to bend too far in negotiations with either is no surprise, given GM Daryl Morey‘s longstanding desire to retain cap flexibility each year. The Rockets have about $44.3MM committed against a salary cap that some executives believe will rise to $95MM for next season, but that doesn’t include a team option worth $1.296MM the Rockets plan to exercise, nor does it include Ty Lawson‘s $13MM-plus non-guaranteed salary or Dwight Howard‘s $23MM-plus player option.

The Rockets will have the ability to match offers for both Jones and Motiejunas, and owner Leslie Alexander’s remark to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle this week that, “Nobody ever leaves here if we want to keep them,” underscores the level of control the team has. Still, the Rockets lost Chandler Parsons on a player-friendly offer sheet to the Mavs in 2014, and Jones and Motiejunas will be eligible to solicit similar deals from competing teams.

The pair of power forwards both experienced significant injuries last season, with Jones missing the first half of the season with a nerve injury that left him questioning whether he’d ever play again and Motiejunas missing the stretch run and the playoffs with an ailing back. Motiejunas has yet to return from his injury, though he’s questionable for Friday’s game.

Grantland’s Zach Lowe speculated in August that Jones might ask for $15MM salaries, and he’s shown his value as a floor-stretcher with 35.1% three-point shooting last year, an improvement over his first two seasons. Still, the 23-year-old struggles defensively, as Arthur Hill of Hoops Rumors points out in our extension candidate profile of the Thad Foucher client.

Motiejunas, 25, has had mixed results defensively, though he, too, displayed an improved outside shooting game in 2014/15, when he made 62 starts and nailed 36.8% of his three-pointers. However, for a 7-footer, his rebounding numbers were a disappointing 5.9 boards in 28.7 minutes per game, as I noted in our extension candidate piece for him. Foucher, a Wasserman Media Group agent, also represents Motiejunas, though both Jones and Motiejunas are former clients of Arn Tellem, who left the agency for an executive job with the Pistons organization, notes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).

Do you think Jones and/or Motiejunas will be back with the Rockets next season? Leave a comment to let us know.

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Texas Notes: Alexander, Lalanne, Murry

October 28th, 2015 at 8:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With Dwight Howard eligible to opt out of his deal after the season, Ty Lawson‘s pending free agency next summer, and the team needing to make decisions on whether or not to offer contract extensions to Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas prior to the November 2nd deadline, the Rockets appear to be at a crossroads, but team owner Leslie Alexander doesn’t consider 2015/16 a make-or-break-it-up season, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. “I’m not thinking that far ahead,” Alexander said. “Nobody ever leaves here if we want to keep them. It’s not like I’m planning on losing people.” Hoops Rumors’ Chuck Myron had previously examined the extension candidacy of Motiejunas, and Arthur Hill did the same with Jones.

The owner also noted that he feels competitive regarding how the Rockets are run as an organization in comparison to the rest of the league, Feigen adds. “Everything is well set on the business side and the basketball side. This organization is nicely run,” Alexander said. “We have terrific people on both sides of the aisle. They really know what they’re doing. We have it running really well. I try to have it running like a really great corporation, even though we’re a sports team. I try to do it like if it was a big business: You would run it this way, but keeping it small enough that it is a family atmosphere. I think I’ve achieved that.”

Here’s more from the Lone Star State:

  • Cady Lalanne, who was selected by the Spurs with the No. 55 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, has signed with San Antonio’s D-League affiliate, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports (via Twitter).
  • Toure’ Murry, who was recently waived by the Wizards, will sign with the Texas Legends, the Mavericks‘ D-League affiliate, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post relays (Twitter link).
  • The Mavs are looking forward to the regular season commencing so they can put a challenging offseason behind them, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. “We’ve turned the pages months ago,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “And we’ve talked about everything that’s transpired. We’ve given respect where respect is due and we’ve adjusted where we’ve needed to adjust. The NBA is pretty much an ‘it is what it is’ league. The guys we have, we’re going to make the best of it with those guys. And we like our chances to have a hell of a year.“
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Southwest Notes: Ginobili, Dekker, Pelicans

October 20th, 2015 at 10:17pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Spurs veteran Manu Ginobili has been among the team’s most accurate shooters, making 12 of his 16 shots from the field overall and going 5 for 7 on 3-pointers in four preseason appearances, and entering tonight’s game he was the team’s No. 2 scorer, at 11.7 points per game, a level of play that is even surprising the 39-year-old shooting guard, Mike Monroe of The San Antonio Express-News writes. “I am shocked,” Ginobili said about his level of performance thus far. “To tell you the truth I wasn’t expecting this but I am feeling great; healthy; making shots. I’m playing relaxed. I am really enjoying the experience. That is what I wanted to achieve, this mental state. It’s way easier to do it in preseason when everything is more relaxed but we’ll see how it goes. So far, so good.”

Here’s the latest out of the Southwest:

  • Rockets first-rounder Sam Dekker has struggled with his shooting during the preseason, but the rookie feels that he is beginning to acclimate himself to the speed of the pro game, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. “As a rookie there is that little growth process,” Dekker said. “I don’t think I’m anywhere near as comfortable as I’m going to be. I’m learning every day and trying to learn from the best and ask as many questions as I can. I’m trying to pick up as much as I can so I can help this team and learn every day and keep growing and get more comfortable.”
  • The Pelicans need to find an effective power forward who can defend and score if the team wants to shift Anthony Davis to the center position, which is being considered under new coach Alvin Gentry, Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM writes. One target for next offseason who Tjarks suggests would be a good fit in New Orleans is current Rockets combo forward Terrence Jones, who will be eligible to become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2015/16 campaign. While Houston will most likely prefer to re-sign Jones, a substantial offer sheet proffered by the Pelicans could dissuade GM Daryl Morey from matching and bring Jones to New Orleans, Tjarks opines.
  • Team owner Mark Cuban believes that if the Mavericks‘ top players can remain healthy, Dallas will deploy a potent lineup and have an excellent shot to make the playoffs this season, Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com relays. “We’re going to be fun,” Cuban said. “Our defense is going to be better, and we’re shooting the ball from three a lot more. And that’s with our young guys. Once the vets get in there, it will open things up more for them. … But we’ve got a lot of new, young guys that will be fun to watch. And then watching Dirk Nowitzki and Chandler Parsons and Wesley Matthews and Deron Williams, that’s going to be money right there. You know, that’s a [heck] of a top four.”
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Southwest Notes: Matthews, Jones, West

September 29th, 2015 at 10:28pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Mavs coach Rick Carlisle has already reportedly ruled out Wesley Matthews for the team’s opener, but the swingman has designs on proving his new coach wrong, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com writes. “I’m trying to be ready by opening day,” Matthews said. “Whether I can play in it or not, I can’t really control that. But my goal is to [be] ready and available opening day.”

Matthews doesn’t think it relevant to compare how long it has taken other players who have had similar injuries to his own to recover, MacMahon adds. “I don’t really pay too much attention to that because if I paid attention to people that were in my situation before me, then I wouldn’t be up here standing and talking to you guys,” Matthews said, “because I can’t think of too many undrafted free agents that have done what I’ve done.”

Here’s more from the Southwest Division:

  • Rockets forward Terrence Jones enters the 2015/16 season with a different, more mature outlook, Jenny Dial Creech of The Houston Chronicle writes. “I felt like I really needed to grow as a person,” Jones said. “I think I am a lot more mature this year.” Jones is eligible to ink a contract extension with Houston prior to the deadline on November 2nd.
  • David West said that the Spurs‘ signing of LaMarcus Aldridge was the deciding factor for him to join the team as an unrestricted free agent this summer, Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express News tweets.
  • Despite concerns regarding his agility and foot speed, the Spurs‘ signing of center Boban Marjanovic is exactly what the team needed to help offset the free agent losses of Aron Baynes and Tiago Splitter, writes Dan McCarney of The San Antonio Express-News. McCarney notes that Marjanovic’s ample size (7’3″), as well as his inexpensive contract, make the 27-year-old a wise pickup.
  • Pelicans star big man Anthony Davis is hoping that the additional 15 pounds of muscle he added from working out over the summer will make him an even more dominant player, Brett Martel of The Associated Press relays. “I feel great right now. Even just working out, I feel explosive. I feel quick,” Davis said. “When you start actually going against people and all that, it’s a lot different. So I’m going to see how it is during training camp and preseason and go from there.“
  • Despite the expectations that arrived in San Antonio along with him, Aldridge is doing his best to fit in and adapt to the way the Spurs organization handles its business, Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News writes. “It’s never been about one guy here,” said Aldridge. “It’s always been about the team. So it’s not about me.”
  • After missing the end of the 2014/15 regular season and the playoffs, Rockets guard Patrick Beverley is itching to get back on the court, Creech writes in a separate piece. “Six months, nine days,” Beverley said. “That’s the longest I have ever been out and away from basketball. Injuries aren’t something you can control, but I am ready to get back, ready to play and get this thing started.”
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Extension Candidate: Terrence Jones

September 5th, 2015 at 8:59pm CST by Arthur Hill
May 21, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Houston Rockets forward Terrence Jones (6) dunks to score a basket against the Golden State Warriors during the first half in game two of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs. at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

How much will it cost to keep Terrence Jones in Houston? Probably more than the Rockets are willing to spend.

Entering his fourth season, Jones is eligible to receive a rookie scale extension through November 2nd, and Grantland’s Zach Lowe speculates that the 23-year-old Kentucky product’s asking price could be as high as $15MM annually. It’s a daunting number — even considering the expected jump in the salary cap next summer — for a player with limited NBA production.

Injuries caused Jones to miss 49 games last season. He sat out 41 with nerve damage in his left foot, then several more after suffering a partially collapsed lung in March. When he did play, he showed flashes of why that $15MM figure might be attainable, averaging 11.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game and making slightly more than 35% of his shots from 3-point range. His numbers dipped slightly in the playoffs, but Jones started 9 of 17 games and averaged 23.6 minutes of playing time for a team that reached the Western Conference Finals.

Offensively, Jones is very much a product of the system in which he plays. The Rockets believe in getting their shots near the basket and beyond the 3-point arc. Over his career, Jones takes about half of his shots from within 3 feet and connects on about 70% from that area, according to Basketball Reference. He has the size and leaping ability to become a better finisher and improve that number as he gets older. He was 13 of 37 from long distance during his abbreviated regular season in 2014/15, although that figure dipped to a dismal 3 of 19 (.158) during the playoffs.

Jones has shown potential as a rebounder, averaging close to 7.0 per game over the past two seasons while playing alongside two of the best rebounding centers in the league in Dwight Howard and Omer Asik. However, there are questions about his defense, which has been exposed in the last two postseasons, particularly by the Clippers’ Blake Griffin and former Trail Blazer LaMarcus Aldridge. ESPN’s Defensive Real Plus Minus ranked Jones 38th in the league last season among power forwards, right behind Spencer Hawes, Luis Scola and Elton Brand.

While Jones seems eventually headed toward a big payday — a 6’9″ athlete who can rebound and stretch the floor is very popular in the NBA right now — it’s not guaranteed that contract will come from Houston and it’s less certain that he’ll get it this summer. Even with a projected salary cap of $89MM for 2016/17, the Rockets aren’t likely to have much money available to dish out. If the team picks up the option on young center Clint Capela, Houston is looking at about $44.5MM in committed salary, not counting Howard, who has a player option worth $23.3MM, or Ty Lawson, whose contract includes more than $13.2MM in non-guaranteed money. In addition, Donatas Motiejunas, another young Rockets power forward with a career similar to Jones’, is also eligible for an extension this summer, as we examined earlier, giving the franchise a difficult decision at that position.

There’s also the possibility that either Jones or Motiejunas could be traded, if not both. The Rockets were rumored to be shopping Jones and the 18th pick in this year’s draft (which became Wisconsin’s Sam Dekker) in order to create cap room to pursue Aldridge or Kevin Love. Houston, which spent the summer stocking up on young forwards, certainly isn’t acting like a team ready to make a long-term commitment to either Jones or Motiejunas. In addition to drafting the 6’7″ Dekker, who has potential as a stretch four, the Rockets used a second-round pick on 6’8″ 236-pound rebounding beast Montrezl Harrell, who projects as a power forward, and gave a three-year, $10MM deal to second-year player K.J. McDaniels. The Rockets have a long track record of maintaining cap flexibility to chase marquee free agents, and could pursue former Harden teammate Kevin Durant or another of the top 2016 free agents.

Jones, a Wasserman Media Group client, could be facing a tough choice of his own. Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders believes that a deal will be available in Houston for Jones, but only if he places long-term security ahead of gambling on his potential worth. As Kyler points out, Rockets GM Daryl Morey has a history of letting players enter restricted free agency and allowing the market to set their values. However, if Jones is willing to settle for a lesser deal, a bargain-conscious Morey might be tempted to sign him this summer. Kyler believes the odds are good that Jones will wind up as a restricted free agent, but with health concerns already cropping up at such a young age, his best option may be to take a long-term deal while he can get it.

Should the Rockets sign Jones to an extension? Share your thoughts in our comments section.

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