Houston Rockets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Rockets Make Contract Offer To Andre Iguodala

July 1st, 2017 at 1:56pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets’ meeting with Andre Iguodala ended earlier this afternoon, and a source characterized the sit-down as “excellent,” says Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. According to Spears, Houston made a contract offer to Iguodala.

The runner-up in 2017’s Sixth Man of the Year voting, Iguodala is still considered a good bet to remain in Golden State and sign a new deal with the Warriors. However, he appears to be considering all his options. He has reportedly met – or will meet – with the Kings, Rockets, and Spurs, and has also received interest from the Lakers, among other clubs.

The Warriors hold Iguodala’s Bird rights and could go all the way up to the max to sign him if need be, though the team presumably has an informal limit on what it’s willing to offer the veteran swingman. With Stephen Curry having agreed to a huge new extension, Kevin Durant expected to get something close to the max, and Shaun Livingston getting his own multiyear deal, Golden State would be headed well beyond the tax line with a pricey commitment to Iguodala.

Still, even if the Warriors have cap concerns, it’s not clear if a Rockets’ offer will force their hand. Houston is over the cap and appears to be committing part of its $8.4MM mid-level exception to draft-and-stash prospect Zhou Qi. In order to make a truly competitive offer for Iguodala, the Rockets would likely need to figure out a sign-and-trade scenario, which would require Golden State’s cooperation.

There are always a lot of moving parts during the July moratorium, so Daryl Morey could have something up his sleeve, but landing Iguodala seems like a long shot for Houston.

Rockets To Sign 2016 Second-Rounder Zhou Qi

July 1st, 2017 at 12:15pm CST by Luke Adams

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

July 1: Zhou’s deal with the Rockets will indeed be a four-year pact, his agent tells Feigen (Twitter link). That means Houston will dip into its mid-level exception to get it done. The length of the agreement was first reported by David Pick, as noted below.

12:01pm: The Rockets will bring 2016 second-round pick Zhou Qi stateside for the upcoming season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports that the team will sign the Chinese center to a multiyear contract. The deal has not yet been finalized, with the structure still undergoing some “final touches,” per Wojnarowski.

Zhou, the 43rd overall pick in the 2016 draft, reportedly remained under contract with China’s Xinjiang Flying Tigers for another four years, but had an NBA out clause believed to be worth $650K, opening the door for him to join the Rockets. The 21-year-old is a promising prospect capable of protecting the rim and stretching the floor a little.

The details of Zhou’s new deal with the Rockets may ultimately hinge on what else Houston does in free agency. The over-the-cap club currently has the mid-level ($8.4MM) and bi-annual ($3.3MM) exceptions at its disposal, and could always sign players using the minimum salary.

As Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle noted earlier this week, the Rockets would like Zhou’s deal to span at least three years, but would have to use a portion of the MLE to make that happen — the bi-annual exception and the minimum salary exception limit deals to two years.

According to international reporter David Pick (via Twitter), Zhou’s new deal is expected to run through the 2020/21 season. That would make it a four-year contract, meaning Houston would have to use some of its MLE to complete the signing.

Nene Back On Free Agent Market

July 1st, 2017 at 12:08pm CST by Austin Kent

12:08pm: The Rockets remain optimistic that they’ll be able to work something out with Nene, tweets Spears. Houston could increase its offer to Nene by using part of the mid-level exception rather than his Non-Bird rights.

11:38am: Upset at the prospect of losing one year – and approximately $4MM – from his initially-reported agreement with the Rockets, Nene is “back at square one” in free agency, reports Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter links). According to Spears, the market for the veteran center is back open.

JULY 1, 9:36am: The Rockets’ deal with Nene will actually only be for three years, since the team can’t sign him to a four-year deal with his Non-Bird rights due to the over-38 rule, says Bobby Marks of ESPN.com. Nene’s three-year contract figures to be worth $10,954,440, which is the maximum allowable using his Non-Bird rights.

Albert Nahmad (Twitter link) was among the cap experts to point out late last night that Nene’s reported agreement appeared to be in conflict with the over-38 rule.

JUNE 30, 10:16pm: The Rockets have agreed to a four-year deal with Nene, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. The deal is said to be worth $15MM, Feigen notes.

Despite rupturing his groin in the postseason, the 34-year-old veteran fully expected to return to the Rockets. Now with Chris Paul on board and speculation that there could be further deals in the works, the franchise will presumably delight in the opportunity to add a cheap option that’s already familiar with the organization.

Adding context to the deal is Zach Lowe of ESPN who tweets that it looks as though the Rockets used Nene’s Non-Bird rights. That means the franchise will retain its mid-level and biannual exceptions for further moves.

In 67 games for Houston last season, the greybeard posted 9.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.

Six Teams Interested In Michael Carter-Williams

July 1st, 2017 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

Michael Carter-Williams received a call from the Rockets last night, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link), who says that Houston is one of at least six teams with interest in the free agent point guard. Spears identifies the Knicks, Thunder, Mavericks, Pelicans, and Hornets as other clubs eyeing Carter-Williams.

Carter-Williams, the NBA’s Rookie of the Year back in 2013/14, has seen his usage and his production fall off since his days with the Sixers. After being acquired by Chicago in a preseason trade for Tony Snell last fall, Carter-Williams appeared in 45 games for the Bulls in 2016/17, averaging just 6.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 2.5 APG on 36.6% shooting (18.8 minutes per game). The Bulls didn’t tender him a qualifying offer this week, so he’s an unrestricted free agent.

While Carter-Williams appears to be drawing some interest, it remains to be seen whether he’ll prioritize joining a contending team or finding a situation where he’d have a larger role.

The Rockets, Thunder, Pelicans, and Hornets all have standout starting point guards, while the point guard situations in New York and Dallas are a little more in flux — the Knicks and Mavs addressed the position in last week’s draft by selecting Frank Ntilikina and Dennis Smith Jr., respectively, but those those rookies likely won’t take on huge minutes right away.

Free Agent Rumors: Iguodala, Noel, Roberson, Ingles

July 1st, 2017 at 9:32am CST by marksuleymanov

The Heat are one of three teams scheduled to meet with free agent Gordon Hayward, which could put several free agency plans on hold. For Miami free agent James Johnson, being patient is not a problem, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.

“I’m a patient guy,” Johnson said to Jackson at a recent golf tournament. “They can take as long as they want. My mindset is winning. I think Hayward can help us win and I’m all for it. They brought me here for a reason and I know they’re going after Hayward for a reason and I think his statistics and his numbers that he [produces], he fits in the best here.”

Johnson, 30, developed into a solid two-way player last season, averaging 12.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and shot nearly 48% from the floor. However, if Miami does lure Hayward to South Beach, retaining both Johnson and Dion Waiters would be problematic from a financial standpoint. Stretching Josh McRoberts‘ salary and several other moves would have to be made to re-sign both players. However, Johnson has reiterated he does not mind waiting to see how the Heat’s plan develop.

Here are some other free agency rumors circulating around the NBA:

The Rockets‘ meeting with two-time NBA champion and free agent Andre Iguodala is scheduled for this morning, according to Chris Haynes of ESPN (via Twitter).
In a separate tweet, Haynes reports that the Knicks and Bucks have inquired on free agent swingman Ben McLemore.
Restricted free agent Nerlens Noel can speak to other teams, but appears very likely to remain in Dallas. It’s likely a matter of “how much and when” the Mavericks get a deal done with the swingman, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (via Twitter).
With Paul George headed to Oklahoma City, the Thunder are more likely to retain restricted free agent Andre Roberson, according to ESPN’s Royce Young (via Twitter).
The Nets have secured a meeting with free agent Joe Ingles, sources tell Adam Joseph of 16WingsARing (via Twitter).
We heard on Friday night that the Cavaliers have interest in Zach Randolph. That interest is mutual, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com.

Reaction To The Paul George Trade

July 1st, 2017 at 1:46am CST by Arthur Hill

After weeks of negotiations and rumors involving Paul George, the Pacers surprised NBA insiders and fans alike by agreeing to trade the All-Star forward to the Thunder tonight in exchange for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. Shock waves are still echoing from the deal that upstaged the first night of free agency:

Even today, the Celtics believed they were in a good position to acquire George, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. The Celtics made several attempts to work out a deal with Indiana, a source tells Himmelsbach, including an offer at the February deadline that entailed this year’s first-round pick from the Nets, which wound up No. 1 overall, along with three future first-rounders. Boston was confident that two years of playoffs with George would have been enough to change his mind about joining the Lakers. Talks resumed just before the draft, and the Celtics’ offer was changed to three starters and two first-rounders, but not this year’s pick from the Nets or next year’s from the Lakers. The offer evolved into two starters and three picks, but it wasn’t enough to convince the Pacers.
Thunder GM Sam Presti had quietly been trying to acquire George for several weeks, according to Royce Young of ESPN.com. The Pacers wanted players and picks, which Oklahoma City didn’t have, and Presti wasn’t able to find a third team willing to facilitate the deal. However, Indiana’s asking price dropped Friday and Presti was ready to pounce. One danger to the deal, Young notes, is that George and Russell Westbrook can both become free agents next summer and both hail from southern California, creating the possibility that George may try to recruit his new teammate to join him on the Lakers.
There was “genuine surprise” in Boston that the Pacers accepted Oklahoma City’s deal, tweets Chris Mannix of The Vertical. The Celtics believed their offer gave Indiana a better path toward rebuilding.
The Thunder had nothing to lose in gambling on George, claims Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. They had to show Westbrook that he has a chance to win a title before his option decision next year. Bontemps says the deal instantly makes OKC one of the top four teams in the West next season along with the Warriors, Rockets and Spurs.
The Trail Blazers made a strong play for George this week, according to Jason Quick of CSNNW (Twitter link). Portland submitted an offer on Monday that Quick contends was better than what the Pacers accepted from the Thunder.
Patience helped Oklahoma City seal the trade, assesses David Aldridge of TNT (Twitter link). He notes that Presti didn’t pressure the Pacers to make the deal, but he knew they were fond of both Oladipo and Sabonis. Aldridge adds that George’s departure to the Western Conference instead of Cleveland lessens the pressure on Boston to make a panic move in response (Twitter link).
The trade leaves Oklahoma City with about $108MM in guaranteed contracts for next season, tweets Bobby Marks of The Vertical. That figure is roughly $9MM over the salary cap and $8MM under the luxury tax.

Free Agent Rumors: Redick, Ingles, Hayward, Gay

July 1st, 2017 at 12:39am CST by Arthur Hill

The first meeting for Clippers guard J.J. Redick was with the Sixers, posts Adrian Wojnarowski on ESPN Now. On ESPN’s television coverage, Wojnarowski said Philadelphia would like to convince Redick to accept a short-term contract, “a one-year deal at a very big number, $20 million-plus, potentially.” The Timberwolves and Nets are also expected to be contenders for Redick, and he has expressed interest in joining former Clippers teammate Chris Paul with the Rockets. Wojnarowski adds that there is no chance of Redick returning to L.A.

There’s more from the early hours of free agency:

Jazz forward Joe Ingles has received “serious interest” from the Magic and has three meetings scheduled for Saturday, tweets Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. Ingles will meet with the Utah delegation this weekend, according to Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link).
Heat center Hassan Whiteside has been actively recruiting Gordon Hayward to Miami, tweets Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype. Whiteside will attend Hayward’s meeting with Heat officials on Saturday.
Kings forward Rudy Gay has four meetings set up over the next few days, Kennedy adds (Twitter link).
The Nuggets reached out to Utah’s George Hill during the first hour of free agency, posts Ian Begley on ESPN Now. Denver could create cap room to sign Hill by letting Danilo Gallinari leave, Begley notes.
The Mavericks had a “great call” with Nerlens Noel, tweets Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Noel expressed a desire to re-sign with the team, but nothing has been finalized.
The Lakers made calls tonight to Andre Iguodala, Rajon Rondo and Ben McLemore., tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. The Knicks and Bucks have also inquired about McLemore, according to Chris Haynes of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Market Heating Up For Amir Johnson

June 30th, 2017 at 9:58pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Unrestricted free agent Amir Johnson isn’t likely to be re-signed by the Celtics, but the forward isn’t lacking for suitors. Per a report by Sean Deveney of The Sporting News, Johnson already has three meetings scheduled for tomorrow in Los Angeles. On Saturday’s agenda for Johnson will be sit-downs with the Bulls, Raptors and Rockets, per the scribe.

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer adds a fourth team, the Sixers, to the mix. Johnson, a 12-year veteran, would provide a huge locker room presence and the veteran leadership Philly lost after waiving Gerald Henderson earlier today, Pompey notes.

The big man previously was a member of the Raptors from 2009/10 through 2014/15, and could be viewed as a cheaper alternative to Toronto re-signing Patrick Patterson. An earlier report by Deveney noted that their was “mutual interest” in a reunion between the two parties.

Johnson, 30, appeared in 80 games (77 starts) for the Celtics in 2016/17, averaging 6.5 PPG and 4.6 RPG with a .576/.409/.670 shooting line. The forward earned $12MM for his efforts last season in Beantown.

Details Of Cash Deals; Rockets Consider Zhou Qi Deal

June 30th, 2017 at 9:55pm CST by Austin Kent

As the smoke clears from the chaos of the Chris Paul trade, details have emerged regarding the numerous side deals that went down in order for the Rockets to acquire the superstar point guard from the Clippers.

We broke down the math behind the trades but Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders has provided insight as to the exact financial details of the deals that brought players on non-guaranteed deals to the Rockets in exchange for cash considerations.

The Rockets will pay the Mavs $175K for DeAndre Liggins.
The Rockets will pay the Hawks $75K for Ryan Kelly.
The Rockets will pay the Trail Blazers $100K for Tim Quarterman.
The Rockets will pay the Pistons $1MM for Darrun Hilliard.
The Rockets could look to sign Zhou Qi to a multiyear deal by using a portion of their mid-level exception, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes, but they wouldn’t be opposed to siging him to a shorter deal if that meant landing another coveted free agent.

Knicks, Rockets Discuss Anthony

June 30th, 2017 at 7:56pm CST by Austin Kent

The Rockets and Knicks have connected with regard to Carmelo Anthony, Ian Begley of ESPN writes, but the two parties haven’t gained traction on a possible deal. Per Begley, the Knicks aren’t exactly enamored with the idea of landing Ryan Anderson in exchange for the All-Star forward.

Commenting on the Begley tweet, Sean Deveney of the Sporting News posits that Houston could be banking on a buyout. The Rockets have, after all, made themselves considerably more appealing to Anthony now with the addition of his close friend Chris Paul.

Anthony has been the subject of trade rumors for over a year now but the recent shakeup in New York’s front office could potentially keep him within the organization. While Anthony’s no-trade clause puts him in the power position, a miserable relationship with former Knicks president Phil Jackson could have contributed to the forward being receptive to a move out of town.

The Cavaliers are another possible destination for Anthony, should the team ultimately decide to buy him out, something that at this point remains far from guaranteed.