Houston Rockets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: Ellis, Smith, Lee

March 7th, 2015 at 5:25pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Monta Ellis has no regrets about his relationship with the Warriors, the team he spent his first seven seasons with, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com writes. “I don’t live in the past,” the Mavs guard said. “I mean, the situation was best for both of us. Me being in Dallas is a great situation for me. Them going with him to be with the face of the team and franchise worked out good for them. And it’s working out good for me. I don’t live in the past. I always go ahead.” There is some belief that Ellis will reportedly opt-out of the third year of his team-friendly deal given his level of play this season.

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

Josh Smith insisted he has moved on from his tenure with the Pistons before he had eight points and seven rebounds for the Rockets Friday night in his second game facing the team that released him, Brendan Savage of MLive writes. “It’s water under the bridge,” Smith said. The veteran forward who’ll be a free agent this summer, signed a one-year deal with the Rockets after the Pistons surprisingly waived him.
Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy has been impressed with how well Smith has played with the Rockets, Jenny Dial Creech of the Houston Chronicle writes. Smith is hitting 44.1% of his shots since arriving in Houston, compared to the 39.1% he logged this season in Detroit. “I think when they moved him to the bench, he has played very well in that role for them,” Van Gundy said. “Coming off the bench, he is helping them offensively and rebounding the ball. His shooting percentage has gone up.”
It’s been easy for David Lee to accept his role as a reserve because the Warriors are winning and his replacement Draymond Green is playing well, writes Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders. “It’s not frustrating at all. It’s just a role change,” said Lee, who missed 24 of the Warriors’ first 25 games due to injury. “If we were losing a bunch of games I probably would be saying to Coach [Steve Kerr], ‘Hey maybe we should try something different.’ But the way we are playing as a group and the way Draymond is specifically playing, this is the way it’s supposed to be right now.”

Will Joseph contributed to this post.

Southwest Notes: Rondo, Smith, White

March 7th, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Eddie Scarito

The Rajon Rondo–Mavericks relationship isn’t working and the poor fit is responsible for tension, opines Amin Elhassan of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required). Before acquiring Rondo, Dallas’ offense was scoring almost 114 points per 100 possessions, because it operated with plenty of ball and player movement where a system created shots for players, Elhassan added. Since January 1st, however, Dallas has allowed 102 points per 100 possessions defensively, while the offense has scored 103 points per 100 possessions, Elhassan notes. Dallas acquired Rondo on December 18th.

Here’s more from the Southwest Division:

Houston legend Hakeem OIajuwon was surprised to see Josh Smith get released by the Pistons, but he’s very glad to see him with the Rockets and he believes that Smith came to the right team, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (via Twitter links).
Former Rockets first-round pick Royce White took to Twitter recently to make it known that he is not through playing basketball. White has been out of the NBA since he went through a pair of 10-day deals with the Kings in 2013/14.
The Grand Rapids Drive, the Pistons’ affiliate, has acquired the rights to Nate Wolters via the D-League’s waiver process, but the team may decide to trade him, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link). Wolters makes his return to the D-League after the Pelicans declined to sign him for the remainder of the season after Wolters’ second 10-day contract ended.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Multiple Teams Interested In JaVale McGee

March 6th, 2015 at 10:06pm CST by Chuck Myron

10:06pm: Teams that are still interested in signing McGee also include the Rockets, Raptors, and Heat, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports tweets.

FRIDAY, 8:48pm: The Mavericks are still interested in McGee, but other teams that could offer the big man more playing time could be more appealing, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News writes. Dallas is unable to offer McGee more than a minimum salary contract for the remainder of the season, Sefko adds.

11:48am: There’s “no way” the Raptors would cross the $76.829MM tax line to sign McGee in spite of GM Masai Ujiri‘s affection for him, tweets Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. The Raptors have a team salary for tax purposes of $76.096MM, as I pointed out earlier. A prorated minimum-salary contract until season’s end for McGee would only cost the team $231,503 if he signed today, after he clears waivers at 4pm Central time, so presumably the club can still bring him in and avoid the tax. So it follows that the Raptors won’t engage in a bidding war, Wolstat adds (on Twitter). However, the Raptors may be closer to the tax line than it appears based on incentive clauses in player contracts, which aren’t always fully reported.

WEDNESDAY, 10:10am: The Raptors are thinking about pursuing McGee, Stein tweets.

5:27pm: The Warriors have expressed major interest in McGee, and view him as an insurance policy for Andrew Bogut, Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link).

TUESDAY, 3:59pm: The Mavericks are “seriously interested” in JaVale McGee, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com, but the sense is he won’t rush to choose a team should he clear waivers as expected on Wednesday, Stein adds (Twitter links). Plenty of other teams are interested, Stein notes, echoing a Monday report from Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports indicating that no less than 10 teams are in the mix. It’s nonetheless somewhat surprising to see Dallas emerge as one of them, since the Mavs earlier today committed their final open roster spot to a contract through season’s end Bernard James.

The teams that are in the mix for McGee reportedly envision him as a third-string center and won’t offer the big man more than the league minimum to sign. The Heat are among those interested in the oft-injured veteran, Stein tweets. While the remainder of the teams considering making a run at McGee are not yet known, the Wizards are not one of them, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post notes.

The 27-year-old appeared in just seven contests for the Sixers after being acquired from Denver, averaging 3.0 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per contest. In 382 career games McGee has averaged 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. His career slash line is .540/.200/.587.

Western Notes: Green, Johnson, Hamilton

March 5th, 2015 at 7:43pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Despite the Grizzlies going on a 13-2 run after acquiring Jeff Green from the Celtics the forward has been a mild disappointment so far in Memphis, Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal (subscription required) writes. Herrington cites Green sinking multiple three-pointers in a game only once in February, and the starting lineup with Green in it being 12 points worse offensively, per 100 possessions, than when Tony Allen was the starter.

Here’s more from the Western conference:

The Rockets are sending Nick Johnson down to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the D-League, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Johnson will likely rejoin the Rockets in Portland on Wednesday, he adds.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr was coy when asked if Golden State had interest in signing free agent big man JaVale McGee, Tim Kawakami of The Bay Area News Group relays. Kerr did say that he didn’t want anything or anyone to disrupt the team’s excellent chemistry, Kawakami adds.
Justin Hamilton, whom the Wolves claimed off of waivers from the Pelicans, has been on Minnesota’s radar for some time Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press tweets. The Wolves tried to work out a trade with Miami for the big man before he was dealt to New Orleans, Krawczynski adds.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Goran Dragic On Suns, Heat, Wade

March 5th, 2015 at 12:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Goran Dragic expressed regret earlier this week about his comments regarding the Suns prior to the trade deadline, calling them “too harsh.” The guard regretted his comments so much that he reached out to Suns owner Robert Sarver to apologize.

“We had a good conversation—he was always there for me and my family,” Dragic told Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report. “He knew that I was not going to re-sign with them, so I wanted to do something before the trade deadline and hopefully they could get some players or some picks. I really appreciated what he did—trading me.”

Dragic spoke with Zwerling about a wide range of topics this week and the Bleacher Report scribe wrote a lengthy piece from the guard’s perspective going over his time with Phoenix and his transition to Miami. The entire article is worth a read, but here’s a look at a few of the highlights:

On how the Heat tried to acquire him years ago

My No. 1 wish was to go to Miami, who I found out later had tried to get me a couple of years ago when I was in Houston. Miami offered everything—a great market, great players, their championship mentality. They always want to do well, and I think that it was a good fit for me. I was pushing for this situation, but I still didn’t know if the Suns were going to send me there. I was in a tough spot, but things worked out in the end.

On his relationship with Dwyane Wade

I felt that right away when D-Wade texted me as soon as I landed in Miami. He is just unbelievable. He’s a future Hall of Famer and he’s such a nice guy, humble guy. I already have a close bond with him and spend a lot of time talking to him about basketball. I didn’t have a player like that in Phoenix.

On Chris Bosh

After my first game against the Pelicans, which we lost, I sent Chris a text message, “You were missed tonight. Looking forward to playing with you. We’ll do our part here, and when you’re back, we’ll be ready to go.” I haven’t had a chance to talk to him; he’s with his family. I’m looking forward to meeting him in person. I played a lot of games against him and he always gave us problems.

Western Notes: Allen, Grizzlies, McDaniels, Shaw

March 1st, 2015 at 9:58pm CST by Zachary Links

The Mavericks, who currently hold the sixth seed in a tight Western Conference, must improve their level of play and toughness in order to make the playoffs, opines Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. After losing two straight, the Mavericks will face the Pelicans on Monday in a game Sefko called “urgent,” given the level of competition the Mavericks play against afterward. The Mavericks play winning teams in 10 of their next 12 games.

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

Ray Allen will not be joining the Grizzlies, according to Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal (via Twitter). Late last month, Tillery reported that Memphis was still maintaining interest in the veteran guard. Of course, at this stage, it’s not clear if Allen will sign with anyone at all. If he does come back, he apparently won’t be suiting up for the Cavs, either.
K.J. McDaniels bet on himself last summer by turning down a four-year contract from Sixers GM Sam Hinkie and instead signing for a single season, as Michael Kaskey-Blomain of Philly.com writes. Over the first portion of the season in Philly, the Clemson product was getting tons of playing time and exposure. Now with the Rockets, he’s not seeing nearly as much playing time and isn’t getting a chance to really showcase himself.
It sounds like the Nuggets players are still restless under head coach Brian Shaw. In the fourth-quarter late into Denver’s 104-82 loss to the Jazz, the team broke a huddle with the phrase, “1-2-3…six weeks!,” according to Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. Of course, there are roughly six weeks to go in the regular season.

Will Joseph contributed to this post.

Southwest Notes: Morey, Stoudemire, Spurs

March 1st, 2015 at 12:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Rockets GM Daryl Morey would like to see some changes to the NBA’s trade rules, reports Dan Feldman of Pro Basketball Talk. Morey said teams should be able to link options with incentives and have traded picks adjusted based on the performance of the players who were received in return. “I think that could allow teams to not ever have fear,” Morey said. “Like if that Harden trade had, oh, if he becomes an All-Star, you have to send yet another future first-round pick. Or if he fails, we get back a pick. I think that would grease a lot of deals.”

There’s more news from the Southwest Division:

Amar’e Stoudemire said he has no regrets about how things worked out in New York, writes Tim Bontemps of The New York Post. Stoudemire joined the Mavericks last month after agreeing to a buyout with the Knicks. He had been expected to become the cornerstone of the New York franchise when he signed a five-year, $100MM contract nearly five years ago. “I can’t control how my body reacts to certain things,” he said, referring to recurring knee problems. “But, other than that, I have no regrets.”
Coach Gregg Popovich didn’t sound impressed after the Spurs won the top award at this year’s Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, according to Jeff McDonald of The Express-News. San Antonio was recognized as “Analytics Organization of the Year” at the annual gathering at MIT in Boston. Informed of the news before Saturday’s game in Phoenix, Popovich responded, “I had no idea there was such a conference or such an award.”
“March Madness” isn’t just for the collegians, writes Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune, who says the Pelicans are heading into a crucial stretch for their postseason hopes. Still, coach Monty Williams doesn’t want scoreboard watching to dominate the locker room. “It’s not that I don’t recognize the big picture, I just don’t talk about it a lot,” Williams said. “… I think it allows us to focus on what’s important right now and I think everything else will take care of itself.”

Southwest Notes: Green, Rondo, Brewer

February 28th, 2015 at 7:23pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Memphis is leading the Southwest Division with a record of 41-16 and Jeff Green‘s seamless transition to the team has helped the Grizzlies remain in good position to make a run at an NBA title, writes Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders. “I don’t have to adapt,” said Green. “They just want me to go out there and be myself. Be aggressive, because if I’m aggressive that’s going to take a lot of pressure off of other guys, so we’re out there sharing the ball, just playing team basketball.” The Grizzlies are 15-5 since acquiring Green from the Celtics.

Here’s more from the Southwest Division:

Coach Rick Carlisle has clashed with new addition Rajon Rondo, but his experience coaching Jason Kidd should help steer the relationship in the right direction, opines Fran Blinebury of NBA.com. Blinebury suggests that relationship is repairable and notes that Kidd had virtually the same issue with Carlisle that Rondo is having over ceding the play calling duties to the coach. Two seasons later after their power struggle, Carlisle and Kidd had established a level of trust and the franchise won its first NBA championship.
Rondo isn’t a good fit for the Mavs and there is a chance he doesn’t remain in Dallas long-term, opines Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News. Cowlishaw names Brandon Knight and Goran Dragic as potential offseason targets if Rondo does indeed leave town. The Mavs have approximately $44.26MM in salary commitments for the 2015/16 season. That figure includes player options for Monta Ellis, Raymond Felton and Al-Farouq Aminu. I would speculate that Ellis declines his $8.72MM option in search of a more lucrative offer. Dallas may have to worry about a new contract for Ellis, as well as a contract for soon to be free agent Tyson Chandler. Knight and Dragic will both likely require near maximum salary contracts and if the team wants to retain the majority of its nucleus, the pair of point guards may be out of Dallas’ price range.
Houston’s bench has become a strength for the team, opines Jenny Dial Creech of the Houston Chronicle. Corey Brewer, who was acquired in a December trade with the Wolves, is enjoying his role. “For me it is all about winning,” Brewer said. “I love coming off the bench. I love having fun. I love giving starters a boost, love giving them that energy. That’s what it’s all about.” The Rockets have made quite a few changes to their roster since last season’s loss to the Blazers in the first round of the playoffs. In my latest poll, readers of Hoops Rumors were split on whether the changes will allow the team to advance further in the playoffs this year.

Western Notes: Rondo, Lakers, Harden

February 26th, 2015 at 8:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Rick Carlisle and Rajon Rondo have begun to take steps to repair their relationship, according to Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. The Mavs coach and veteran point guard held a lengthy meeting to iron out their differences, most of which involved play-calling responsibilities, Sefko continues. Rondo, an unrestricted free agent following the season, was benched after a heated exchange with Carlisle in Tuesday’s win over Toronto and was suspended for Wednesday’s loss to Atlanta. Even if their relationship improves, Rondo’s stay with the Mavs is extremely unlikely to extend past this season, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com opines.

In other news around the Western Conference:

Kobe Bryant, in a one-on-one interview with Sam Amick of USA Today, said that superstar players are unwilling to leave millions of dollars on the table to sign with the Lakers. Bryant added that it was unrealistic to believe All-Stars like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony would sign with the Lakers last summer at less than the maximum salary at this stage of their careers and the franchise would run into the same problem with other free agents in the future, Amick notes.
The Rockets have become over-reliant on James Harden because of their failure to acquire a top-notch point guard, Fran Blinebury of NBA.com contends. Harden might wear down by the postseason and the Rockets could have eased the burden on him by acquiring a player like ex-Rocket Goran Dragic before the trade deadline, Blinebury adds.
Kevin Garnett could remain with the Timberwolves organization as a team executive even if he does not become part owner of the franchise after his playing career is over, according to Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Garnett was traded by the Nets to his original team last week and though Garnett has not made any commitment beyond this season, Garnett says in the story that he plans on being there beyond the next year or two.

Southwest Notes: Rondo, Stoudemire, Smith

February 25th, 2015 at 12:28pm CST by Chuck Myron

The tension between Rajon Rondo and Mavs coach Rick Carlisle that bubbled to the surface with a profanity-laced shouting match and Rondo’s subsequent benching during Tuesday’s game predates that confrontation, team sources tell Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. The soon-to-be free agent and the coach have been at loggerheads over play-calling for a while, MacMahon hears, but owner Mark Cuban doesn’t seem worried, the ESPNDallas.com scribe notes. It’s far from the first time Rondo has clashed with a coach, as Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com points out (on Twitter). While we wait to see if his latest confrontation has any implication on this summer’s free agent market, there’s more on the Mavs amid the latest from the Southwest Division:

Mavs athletic trainer Casey Smith’s strong reputation was one of the keys to Amar’e Stoudemire‘s decision to sign with Dallas, as MacMahon writes in a separate piece examining the team’s success with players on minimum-salary contracts. Cuban cites the club’s medical staff along with its style of play and its success in the win-loss column for the team’s ability to attract veterans at a discount. “You start looking at the roster and what they’ve accumulated,” Richard Jefferson said. “I’m in year 14 [of my career] now. I want to win. If that means I have to take less money for a year or two to help a team win, then so be it.”
Josh Smith considered joining the Clippers before signing with the Rockets, as he told reporters today, including Dan Woike of the Orange County Register (Twitter link). The Clippers reportedly reached out to Smith’s representatives shortly after his release from the Pistons in December. He’ll be a free agent again in the summer.
Former Mavs and Pelicans point guard Gal Mekel wishes he’d entered the D-League when he was searching for an NBA deal after the Pelicans let him go earlier this season, tweets David Pick of Eurobasket.com. Mekel wound up signing this week with Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod.