Houston Rockets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Rockets Waive Ryan Kelly

July 7th, 2017 at 3:54pm CST by Austin Kent

The Rockets have waived forward Ryan Kelly, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Kelly’s contract, acquired in one of Houston’s half dozen pre-Chris Paul trade deals, would have otherwise become guaranteed had he lasted through the day.

As Feigen notes in a separate tweet, Kelly was initially added as a trade chip but was obviously not used. Houston had picked him up from Atlanta in exchange for $75K.

Kelly, a sharp shooting 26-year-old power forward out of Duke, appears to be just on the brink of actually catching on in an NBA rotation. Although he started 59 games between his first and second seasons with a destitute Lakers club, he’s failed to make an impact since. This marks the fourth time in the last nine months that Kelly has been waived.

Free Agent Rumors: Durant, Hill, Rockets, Hayward

July 3rd, 2017 at 8:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kevin Durant would have give the Warriors an even bigger discount to help them land Kings free agent Rudy Gay if Andre Iguodala had not agreed to re-sign, Sam Amick of USA Today tweets. Durant agreed to a two-year, $53MM contract on Monday with a starting salary of $25MM. Iguodala agreed to a three-year, $48MM contract to remain with Golden State. Amick’s tweet gives insight into the type of money it will take to land Gay despite the Achilles tear he suffered last season.

In other free agent developments:

The Nuggets are still pursuing free agent point guard George Hill and trying to clear cap to make that happen, Amick tweets. Denver already made a big splash by reaching an agreement with power forward Paul Millsap on a three-year, $90MM contract. The Lakers are in serious discussions with Hill on a one-year deal but Los Angeles is also considering another free agent point guard, Rajon Rondo, according to Amick (Twitter link).
Rockets GM Daryl Morey plans to hold onto his remaining non-guaranteed contracts and $3.3MM bi-annual exception, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Morey might add a player on a minimum contract, Feigen adds.
The Jazz’s meeting with Gordon Hayward on Monday lasted 3 1/2 hours and included newly-acquired point guard Ricky Rubio, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Hayward held meetings with the Heat and Celtics the previous two days and is expected to make a decision within the next two days.

Carmelo Anthony Open To Waiving No-Trade Clause For Cavs, Rockets

July 3rd, 2017 at 12:22am CST by Luke Adams

Carmelo Anthony is open to the idea of waiving his no-trade clause in order to facilitate a trade to the Cavaliers or Rockets, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. According to Wojnarowski, there’s no traction yet on a deal.

The presence of Chris Paul and LeBron James in Houston and Cleveland, respectively, appeals to Anthony, as does with the Rockets’ and Cavs’ ability to contend. While Anthony controls the process due to his no-trade clause, his apparent willingness to accept a deal to the Rockets or Cavaliers is a good first step for the Knicks, who reportedly remain hopeful that a trade can be completed.

Still, there are several roadblocks to overcome for the Knicks, since Anthony’s trade value is diminished due to his exorbitant salary, a 15% trade kicker, and a belief that New York may eventually become receptive to a buyout. The fact that the franchise doesn’t currently have a permanent president of basketball operations in place is also somewhat problematic.

Per Wojnarowski, the Rockets have been “proactive” in pursuing a possible deal for Anthony since acquiring Paul from the Clippers last week. However, the Knicks have little interest in taking back Ryan Anderson, whose $19.5MM+ salary would likely be needed for salary-matching purposes. Anderson’s contract runs through the 2019/20 season.

As for the Cavaliers, they have been frequently mentioned as a possible destination for Anthony, but have shown no willingness to part with Kevin Love in a trade with New York. Cleveland would likely be more inclined to offer pieces like Iman Shumpert, Channing Frye, and perhaps J.R. Smith in a package for Carmelo, which wouldn’t do much for the Knicks.

With the Knicks reportedly trying to avoid long-term salary commitments for older players, working out an Anthony deal with either the Rockets or Cavs could be challenging unless a third team gets involved.

Western FA Notes: Muhammad, Holiday, Young

July 2nd, 2017 at 7:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

A theme is developing in Minnesota as head coach Tom Thibodeau slowly molds the young Timberwolves into a modern day version of his old team. Consider Justin Holiday the latest former Bulls rotation piece that the T-Wolves have expressed an interest in, Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders writes.

Holiday would join Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson with the Wolves, should the organization seek to sign the 28-year-old 3-and-D specialist.

The Bulls and Knicks, the team with whom Holiday averaged 7.7 points per game for in 2016/17, are both said to be interested in retaining the swingman’s services.

There’s more today as free agency rolls along:

The Timberwolves will likely have to renounce Shabazz Muhammad in the wake of today’s two-year, $28MM agreement with Taj Gibson, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. He adds that Muhammad’s representatives have been notifying teams that he is now an unrestricted free agent (Twitter link).
Nick Young has emerged as a candidate for the Warriors‘ $5.2MM exception, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Pelicans can offer more playing time and a larger role in the offense, notes David Aldridge of TNT (Twitter link), but Young may opt for the chance for a ring.
Gordon Hayward will meet with Jazz officials in San Diego, not Utah, on Monday, tweets Jody Genessy of The Deseret News. Coach Quin Snyder, GM Dennis Lindsey and team president Steve Starks will be among Utah’s delegation.
The Rockets‘ interest in Cleveland’s Iman Shumpert is “basically dead,” according to Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). The teams had trade discussions regarding Shumpert on Saturday before Houston signed Tucker.

Nene Agrees To New Deal With Rockets

July 2nd, 2017 at 3:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

July 6: The signing is official, according to the team’s website.

“The Rockets bring out the best in me,” said Nenê. “I love the entire organization from my teammates and coaches, to management and ownership. We have great leader in James Harden and will continue to work hard to bring another championship to Houston.”

July 2: After an earlier misstep, Nene has reached an agreement to stay with the Rockets, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com. The deal will pay him $11MM over three years, a source tells Wojnarowski.

The veteran center had agreed to a four-year, $15MM deal with Houston early on Saturday, but that was voided because of an age restriction. Because he will turn 35 before the season starts, Nene is restricted to a three-year contract under the over-38 rule.

Nene was reported to be upset by the loss of one year and about $4MM off his negotiated deal and was “back to square one” on Saturday, ready to talk with other teams. The maximum amount the Rockets can pay Nene using his Non-Bird rights is $10,954,440 over three years, so it appears the two sides struck a deal for those terms.

The Rockets appear poised to use their mid-level exception on P.J. Tucker and draft-and-stash prospect Zhou Qi, so if they use Non-Bird rights to bring back Nene, they’d still have their bi-annual exception available, along with some trade pieces.

Appearing in 67 regular season games for the Rockets last season, Nene averaged 9.1 PPG and 4.2 RPG in just 17.9 minutes per contest, shooting 61.7% from the floor. His season came to a premature end when he suffered a left adductor tear halfway through Houston’s second round series against the Spurs.

Iman Shumpert Talks Between Rockets, Cavs Stalled

July 2nd, 2017 at 8:40am CST by Luke Adams

JULY 2, 8:40am: Shumpert talks between the Cavs and Rockets have “significantly stalled” for now, tweets Shams Charania of The Vertical. Having reached an agreement with P.J. Tucker on Saturday night, Houston now has less of a need for a defensive-minded wing, reducing Cleveland’s leverage.

JULY 1, 3:40pm: The Rockets and Cavaliers are discussing a trade that would send Iman Shumpert to Houston, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN (via Twitter), the proposed deal would net the Cavs a draft pick and a trade exception. Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link) classifies the trade talks as “serious.”

Shumpert has been mentioned for weeks as a trade candidate for Cleveland, particularly with the team trying to reduce its potential repeater tax penalties. Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net reports (via Twitter) that the Cavs have spent much of the day discussing Shumpert deals with various teams.

Houston currently doesn’t have the cap room necessary to absorb Shumpert’s $10,337,079 salary, but the team stockpiled non-guaranteed contracts last week that could be used for salary-matching purposes.

A package of Tim Quarterman, Ryan Kelly, Isaiah Taylor, Shawn Long, and Chinanu Onuaku would theoretically be enough to acquire Shumpert from a cap perspective. Of those players, only Onuaku has a guaranteed salary for 2017/18, so the Cavs could waive the rest and clear approximately $9MM from their cap while creating a sizable trade exception.

According to Wojnarowski, one sticking point in Cleveland’s trade discussions involving Shumpert is his 2018/19 player option — the veteran has thus far been unwilling to waive that option.

Shumpert, 27, averaged 7.5 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 76 games (31 starts) for the Cavs last season, shooting 36.0% on three-point attempts.

Free Agent Rumors: Tucker, Hayward, Young, Reed

July 2nd, 2017 at 1:02am CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors will lose P.J. Tucker in free agency, with the veteran forward having agreed to a four-year, $32MM contract with Houston. However, it won’t be for lack of trying. According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN (via Twitter), Toronto offered $33MM over three years for Tucker, whose Rockets deal is partially guaranteed in year four. New Rockets point guard Chris Paul played a major role in recruiting Tucker to Houston though, per Windhorst. The lack of income tax in Texas likely helped sway the 32-year-old as well, though that’s my speculation.

Here are a few more free agent notes from Saturday that we don’t want to let slip through the cracks:

Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald provides some details on the Heat‘s Saturday meeting with Gordon Hayward, which five Miami players attended. Interestingly, free agent forward James Johnson was one of those five players. Meanwhile, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe writes that Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford will attend the Celtics‘ Sunday meeting with Hayward.
We can add the Warriors and the Thunder to the list of teams that have conveyed interest in Nick Young, reports Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. The Pelicans are also said to be eyeing the veteran free agent, who intends to meet with “a bunch of teams.” Medina adds that the Lakers reached out to Young’s reps, but there likely won’t be a fit there.
The Pacers, Sixers, and Rockets expressed interest in free agent big man Willie Reed on Saturday, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link), who notes that the Heat also remain interested in re-signing Reed.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said his team had a “great call” with Nerlens Noel on Saturday, and that the free agent center is “excited to continue to play with the Mavs,” per Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. However, the Mavs will be patient and allow Noel and his agent to explore the market, knowing they’ll be able to match any offer he gets.
It sounds like Knicks GM Steve Mills will continue to run the team’s front office through the free agency period, in the wake of Phil Jackson‘s departure. According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (Twitter link), David Griffin had an initial phone interview with the franchise this week, but isn’t expected to interview in person for a few weeks, which suggests the process won’t be rushed.

Rockets Sign P.J. Tucker To Four-Year Deal

July 1st, 2017 at 11:52pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 6, 10:29am: The Rockets have jumped the gun a little on the end of the July moratorium, issuing a press release announcing Tucker’s signing about a half-hour before the moratorium ends.

JULY 1, 11:52pm: The Rockets are expected to sign Tucker using their mid-level exception, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Assuming the team uses part of its MLE on Zhou (as noted below) and offers the rest to Tucker, the veteran’s contract could be worth up to about $32.6MM.

11:36pm: The Rockets have reached a deal with free agent forward P.J. Tucker, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (via Twitter). Tucker had met with the Raptors when free agency opened, and had a sit-down with the Kings scheduled for Sunday, but it appears that meeting will be canceled now that Tucker has committed to Houston on a four-year, $32MM deal, per Charania (Twitter link).

Tucker, who started the 2016/17 season in Phoenix, was traded to the Raptors in a deadline deal and was a key piece for a Toronto team that was eliminated in the Eastern Conference semifinals. For the season, Tucker averaged a modest 6.7 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 1.4 SPG in 81 games (27.6 MPG), providing value with his tough defense and his ability to make the occasional three-pointer (.357 3PT%).

The Rockets had been on the lookout for a defensive-minded wing who could complement the team’s backcourt of James Harden and newly-acquired Chris Paul. Houston reportedly made an offer to Andre Iguodala today, but Iguodala elected to remain in Golden State. The Rockets were also said to be in serious talks with the Cavaliers for Iman Shumpert, though it’s possible their deal with Tucker could make the Rockets pump the brakes on those Shumpert discussions.

Based on the reported terms of the Tucker deal, the Rockets may be committing the rest of their mid-level exception to the 32-year-old after agreeing to sign Zhou Qi using part of it. However, there are multiple ways Houston could complete the deal. A sign-and-trade is another possibility, if the Rockets don’t need to use their non-guaranteed contracts in a Shumpert trade with Cleveland. A Tucker sign-and-trade could – in theory – create a trade exception for Toronto and would allow the Rockets to retain most of their MLE.

A report earlier today suggested that the Raptors weren’t overly confident about their chances of retaining Tucker, but remained optimistic about bringing back Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Warriors Will Meet With Andre Iguodala, Offer Three-Year Contract

July 1st, 2017 at 10:12pm CST by Luke Adams

10:12pm: The Rockets, Spurs and Kings have also made multi-year offers to Iguodala, according to Haynes (Twitter link).

9:49pm: Iguodala received a three-year, $45MM offer from Golden State that he is now considering, tweets Chris Haynes of ESPN.com. There are no options in the deal.

4:03pm: The Warriors are set to sit down with Andre Iguodala in Los Angeles after he canceled his remaining free agent meetings with other suitors, reports Marcus Thompson II of The Bay Area News Group. According to Thompson, Golden State intends to offer a three-year contract in the range of $13-15MM annually.

As we noted earlier today, after meeting with the Spurs, Kings, and Rockets, Iguodala canceled the rest of his meetings, suggesting he might be nearing a decision. The Rockets reportedly made an offer to the veteran swingman during their meeting earlier today, but the Warriors have long been considered the frontrunners and it appears they’ll put a very respectable offer on the table.

If Iguodala ends up re-signing with the Warriors, Golden State will end up making major commitments to Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Shaun Livingston, and Iguodala, their top four free agents of the summer. That would take the team well into tax territory for the 2017/18 season.

It’s also worth noting that a third year for Iguodala would represent a major concession for the Warriors, assuming it’s guaranteed. The team reportedly preferred to limit most of its deals this offseason to two years, since a new contract for Klay Thompson would go into effect for the 2019/20 season.

It does appear that third year is partially or fully guaranteed. Sam Amick of USA Today tweets that Golden State’s original offer was in the $12-14MM range, with a partial guarantee in year three.

Andre Iguodala Cancels Remaining FA Meetings

July 1st, 2017 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

3:08pm: The Sixers had been scheduled to meet with Iguodala later today, but it will be scrapped along with the rest on his list, tweets ESPN’s Zach Lowe.

2:58pm: The Warriors aren’t sure what it means that Iguodala canceled his remaining meetings, according to Sam Amick of USA Today, who reports (via Twitter) that there’s a sense in Golden State that the veteran free agent may circle back to them with his offer from the Rockets.

2:48pm: Andre Iguodala has canceled his remaining free agent meetings, league sources tell Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). While Charania’s report doesn’t provide any additional details, it sounds as if the veteran swingman may be nearing a decision.

Iguodala was reportedly planning to meet the Spurs, Kings, Rockets, and possibly the Lakers and other teams in free agency. The sit-downs with San Antonio, Sacramento and Houston took place, but it appears those were the only teams Iguodala met.

Reports leading up to free agency, and since the free agent period began, have suggested that many people around the NBA still expect Iguodala and the Warriors to work out a new deal to keep the standout sixth man in Golden State. The two sides didn’t have a formal meeting today, but that won’t preclude a potential agreement, since they know where they stand.

It’s worth noting that this news comes shortly after Iguodala’s meeting with the Rockets, and Houston reportedly made him a contract offer. As I noted earlier, the Rockets’ current cap situation isn’t conducive to a competitive offer for Iguodala. However, if the team has a plan to dump Ryan Anderson‘s salary, it’s possible Daryl Morey could use a chunk of cap room for an offer to Iguodala or someone else, rather than being limited to the mid-level as an over-the-cap team.