Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. is focused on improving his ball-handling skills in preparation for his fourth NBA season, he tells Ari Alexander of KPRC in Houston (Twitter video link, hat tip to Ben DuBose of Rockets Wire). Smith felt it was important to get back to work quickly after the Rockets were knocked out of the playoffs by Golden State in the first round.
“Just the mindset, I was very hungry,” he said. “We didn’t finish the season how we wanted to, so I was ready to get back in the gym and work on what I need to work on. I want to have a big summer and come back next year looking like a whole different player.”
This is a significant offseason for Smith, the No. 3 pick in 2022, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension. He missed close to two months after fracturing a bone in his hand, then was removed from the starting lineup in late February. He averaged a career-low 12.2 PPG in 57 games, but he just turned 22 last month and offers a high-level combination of defense, rebounding and outside shooting. He’s reportedly among the Rockets players Phoenix is targeting in a potential Kevin Durant trade.
Smith’s summer program includes working with skills trainer Aaron Miller, who has an extensive history with NBA players.
“It’s real technical, with a lot of attention to detail,” Smith said. “I just like how detailed it is, and how down to the science it is.”
There’s more from Houston:
- Steven Adams‘ salary will decline each season under his new three-year extension, per Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). The contract is front-loaded at $14,130,434 for the upcoming season, followed by $13MM in 2026/27 and $11,869,566 in 2027/28. As we relayed yesterday, the deal is fully guaranteed and contains no team or player option.
- Fred VanVleet and the Rockets have “mutual interest” in staying together, Shams Charania of ESPN confirms. Houston faces a June 29 deadline to exercise a $44.9MM option on the 31-year-old guard, but it’s possible that the option may be declined and replaced with a longer contract. Cap expert Yossi Gozlan suggests (via Twitter) that Adams’ early extension agreement could be a sign that there’s confidence about a restructured deal with VanVleet. He also states that Houston could get below the aprons and dodge the luxury tax by waiving all its non-guaranteed contracts, trading the 10th pick in the draft and cutting VanVleet’s current salary by about 25%.
- Reed Sheppard will participate in this year’s Summer League in preparation for a larger role next season, Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle states in a mailbag column.
If FVV wants a long contract he is going to need to do like Adams and most money this year and go down in pay later on in years. Shows that Adams want to win and helped them to sign players later on. FVV better ubnderstand he is not getting another $44 million per year contract and it will be much less.
I’ve read that Adams can’t be traded until Dec 14, but I’m not sure why.
Adams can be traded anytime because he signed an extension before he was technically a free agent. Had he became a free agent first, then that would be the case. But I don’t think the rockets intend on trading him anytime soon
Not necessarily. If his extended salary is over 5% of his prior salary he may be subject to a 6 month restriction.
Ah, I see with the front loading it is over a 5% raise, so he can’t be traded for 6 months, Dec 14.
My mistake. The new CBA raised the restriction from 5% to 20% after opening day 2024, so Adams can be traded.
Extend-and-trade rules limit the year-over-year salary increase or decrease (after the first year of the extension) to 5% — Adams’ decreases by 8% for year, so he won’t be trade-eligible until Dec. 14.
Thanks, Luke, I got it wrong again. I was just looking at the first year salary increase.
Suns would be lucky to end up with Jabari.
I really don’t want KD on this Rockets team. I especially don’t want to see Jabari traded at the expense of KD. If Stone does this trade, he isn’t serious about a long term run at the playoffs. Smith, Sengun, Whitmore, and Thompson should be off limits. Jalen Green, Eason, and/or Shepperd I would consider trading for the right piece. Jeff Green and Lindale can be salary stuffers to help balance the trade out. Adams seems to be extended to backup Sengun and took a decrease in pay. FVV is still up in the air, but if he decides to keep a hold of that salary, he can really even out a trade with that 44 million salary. I hope FVV takes a cut to around 28-32 million a year to help free up cap space to add in other areas of need.
Fact Rockets couldn’t score in playoffs. Means these young guys aren’t ready. Time is now to trade for Giannis. KD can be 2nd option. But I wouldn’t give up much for a 37 yr old KD. Rockets can just stay the course. That 10th pick is a great addition. They can just load up. And revisit a trade during season or at TD. Only trade I make now is for Giannis maybe KD.