Houston Rockets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Rockets Want Both Josh Smith & Dwight Howard

July 2nd, 2013 at 9:44pm CST by Zachary Links

The Rockets' Monday meeting with free agent Josh Smith in Los Angeles included a discussion about a possible partnership between him and childhood friend Dwight Howard, two sources with knowledge of the situation told Sam Amick of USA Today. Smith has been known on the Rockets' radar, for some time, but he's not just being looked at as a Plan B if Howard goes elsewhere.

Combining Howard and Smith with James Harden would give the Rockets a formidable Big Three. In fact, Howard and his reps asked the Rockets in their meeting this week if they could find a way to sign another player to a max deal, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

The Rockets would have to clear some serious hurdles to get a deal done but they could conceivably try and work a sign-and-trade with the Hawks to help make things easier. Center Omer Asik and point guard Jeremy Lin will each earn $8.3MM in each of the next two seasons and could be moved to help free up space. Both players are reportedly being shopped around the league.

Rockets Will Offer Smith Deal If D12 Pursuit Fails

July 2nd, 2013 at 7:47am CST by Luke Adams

During their meeting with Josh Smith yesterday, the Rockets told the free agent forward that they would make him a contract offer if their pursuit of Dwight Howard fell short, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Spears adds that Smith understood the team's position and wasn't offended by being a Plan B.

With just enough cap space to make Howard a maximum-salary offer, the Rockets will have plenty of room to pursue other free agents if they're unable to sign D12. Smith's maximum salary won't be as high as Howard's, and Smith is unlikely to receive max offers anyway, so Houston could potentially sign Smith and still have cap space to use on another player, should the team miss out on Howard.

There are also rumblings that the Rockets could explore acquiring Smith via a sign-and-trade even if they're able to sign Howard. Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin would be probable trade chips in that scenario, though Spears notes that Smith has yet to meet with the Hawks, so a sign-and-trade hasn't been discussed yet.

In addition to meeting with the Rockets, Smith also had a "productive" meeting with the Pistons, who are said to be preparing a "substantial offer" for the longtime Hawk.

Bulls Close To Deal With Mike Dunleavy

July 1st, 2013 at 6:40pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Bulls are the front-runners for Mike Dunleavy, and they're negotiating a two-year, $6MM deal, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Other teams remain in play, but there's confidence an agreement can be reached, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link).

Wojnarowski pointed earlier to the Rockets as another option for Dunleavy, if Houston falls short of signing Dwight Howard (Twitter link). The Mavs, Lakers and Wolves are also in the mix, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The Knicks reportedly like him, too. Still, Dunleavy is intrigued by the chance to play alongside Derrick Rose, Johnson notes (on Twitter).

The 32-year-old Arn Tellem client spent the past two seasons with the Bucks, where he made a career-high 42.8% of his three-point attempts this past season. When I examined his free agent stock, I figured he could fit in as a role player on a contending club, and that appears to be just what he would sign to do in Chicago. The Bulls would be using their mini mid-level to bring him aboard.

Trade Rumors: Asik, Bledsoe, Afflalo, Chandler

July 1st, 2013 at 3:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Most of the news and rumors we're passing along today relate to free agency, but during the July moratorium, it's likely we'll see a few trades agreed upon as well. Let's round up a few of today's reports on potential trade possibilities….

Ostensibly, the Trail Blazers' acquisition of Thomas Robinson allows the Rockets to clear the cap room to make a max offer to Dwight Howard. However, the underrated aspect of the deal, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, is that the Rockets could look to move Omer Asik if they land Howard. Haynes says Portland is "closely monitoring" that situation, since the big man would be the kind of rim-protecting defensive specialist the club has been lacking.
The Clippers and Magic are still discussing a potential deal that would send Arron Afflalo to L.A. for Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler, says Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). However, before getting serious about Afflalo, the Clippers figure to make a run at free agent shooting guards such as O.J. Mayo and Tony Allen.
A source tells Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link) that while the Knicks haven't offered Tyson Chandler in any trade talks, the team wouldn't be opposed to moving him in the right offer. I'm guessing Chandler will stay put, but as their acquisition of Andrea Bargnani showed, the Knicks are willing to get creative to try to improve their roster.

Dwight Howard Rumors: Monday

July 1st, 2013 at 1:52pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets had what they felt was an "encouraging meeting" with Dwight Howard last night, and Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak was able to get in a quick word with the All-Star center as well. Houston and Los Angeles are among the teams expected to increase their pursuit of D12 in the coming days, so let's check out the latest rumblings on Howard:

Although the Warriors appear willing to make the Lakers a competitive offer for Howard (story below), the two teams haven't engaged in sign-and-trade talks, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. According to Berger, for that to happen, Howard would have to indicate that the Warriors are his first choice, and even then, the Lakers may not be willing to engage. The team has "demonstrated no appetite" for a sign-and-trade so far, notes Berger (all Twitter links).

Earlier updates:

The fact that Howard appears to be receptive to the extra efforts the Lakers are making to woo him suggest that he's still open to re-signing with the team, writes Sam Amick of USA Today.
However, the Rockets have emerged as the frontrunner for Howard and the team's pitch last night did nothing to dampen D12's enthusiasm for Houston, says Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Wojnarowski, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld, and Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle all have details on Howard's meeting with the Rockets contingent in Los Angeles.
Although the Warriors are viewed as a long shot for Howard, Golden State is willing to offer Andrew Bogut and either Klay Thompson or Harrison Barnes to the Lakers in a sign-and-trade offer, reports Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group.

Latest On Josh Smith

July 1st, 2013 at 8:38am CST by Chuck Myron

Josh Smith met with the Pistons overnight, and TNT's David Aldridge reports that the forward didn't emerge with an offer from what was nonetheless a "productive" meeting, as a source characterized the affair to Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter links). The meeting was geared toward each side "feeling out" the other, according to Aldridge, who isn't surprised the Pistons would hold off on making an offer for now, given their interest in Andre Iguodala as well (Twitter link).

Smith is set to talk today with the Rockets and Hawks, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Like the Pistons, both teams have plenty of cap room, but Atlanta and especially Houston likely view Smith as a fallback option in case Dwight Howard signs elsewhere.

The Hawks have Smith's Bird rights, allowing them to offer a five-year deal for a total of about $25MM more than he could sign for elsewhere. GM Danny Ferry may not need to go that far for the Wallace Prather client, though, since the Pistons don't appear willing to offer him the max. Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors estimated this morning that Smith could wind up with a four-year, $60MM deal.

Odds & Ends: Barnes, Mavs, Rockets, Pistons

July 1st, 2013 at 3:46am CST by Luke Adams

Only one contract agreement has been reached so far on the first night of the NBA's 2013 free agent period, but that doesn't mean we weren't treated to plenty of news and rumors. Here are a few more odds and ends from a busy Sunday night:

In addition to all the other players they reportedly contacted tonight, the Lakers reached out to Matt Barnes, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter).
Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com reports that the Mavericks have expressed interest in Jose Calderon and Mo Williams. Even though MacMahon's report came before news broke that Dallas had agreed to sign Gal Mekel, it makes sense that the team would continue to seek a veteran point guard to complement rookies Mekel and Shane Larkin.
MacMahon adds (via Twitter) that now that Mekel is under contract, the Mavs are likely to trade the rights to 2009 second-round pick Nick Calathes, something that GM Donnie Nelson has hinted at.
After an encouraging meeting with Dwight Howard in Los Angeles, the Rockets will target players to complement him rather than fall-back options, says Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The team will meet with Corey Brewer and Mike Dunleavy next, according to Feigen (Twitter links).
Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press spoke to Pistons owner Tom Gores about the process of hiring head coach Maurice Cheeks, the team's long-term vs. short-term prospects, and free agency.
Several NBA teams have expressed interest in point guard Bobby Brown, who played for four clubs between 2008 and 2010, tweets Shelburne.
Since they weren't released on or before June 30th, the 2013/14 contracts for E'Twaun Moore (Magic), Chandler Parsons (Rockets), Jason Smith (Pelicans), and Rodney Stuckey (Pistons) have become fully guaranteed. Paul Pierce's contract also became fully guaranteed, so it can be used in the Nets/Celtics swap that will be finalized later this month.
ESPN.com's Marc Stein rounds up the latest on a few early free agency rumors. We've already heard about most of the stories Stein addresses, such as the Nets leading the race for Kyle Korver, the Pelicans pursuing Tyreke Evans, and the Timberwolves and Bucks targeting Kevin Martin. However, there are a few notable tidbits from Stein, including word that the Thunder's odds of retaining Martin are dwindling.

Odds & Ends: Mayo, Martin, Noel, Bulls

June 30th, 2013 at 8:45pm CST by Zachary Links

Here's the latest from around the Association as we gear up for the start of free agency..

The Jazz, Bucks, Timberwolves, Clippers, Blazers, Bobcats, and Bulls are all likely suitors for Mavs guard O.J. Mayo, USA Today's Sam Amick tweets. Mayo is expected to turn down his $4.2MM option this summer and it makes a lot of sense considering the number of teams with major cap space to burn.
Kevin Martin is expected to draw interest from the Bucks, Pelicans, Timberwolves, Mavericks, and Pistons, as well as the Thunder, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
Before Nerlens Noel fell to pick No. 6, the Pelicans were entertaining the idea of trading that selection to the Bobcats for Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, as Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe notes amid his weekly roundup.
Drastic change isn't likely to blow through the Windy City for the Bulls this summer, writes Aggrey Sam of CSNChicago.com. There's still a lot of moving pieces for the club, but the major shifting probably won't come until the summer of 2014 for the Bulls.
The Wizards face some tough decisions with free agency approaching, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Washington obviously won't be in play for any of the elite free agents this summer and they have their sights set on less-thrilling goals, like retaining small forward Martell Webster.
We hear similar news out of Portland, where Joe Freeman of The Oregonian cautions fans not to expect anything too crazy out of the Blazers. Of course, there have been rumblings over LaMarcus Aldridge's discontent.

Rockets Shopping Omer Asik, Jeremy Lin

June 30th, 2013 at 8:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The Rockets have called several teams about Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin and made it known that they are available in trades, league sources told Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. The Rockets are extremely confident in their pursuit of Dwight Howard and therefore they feel that Asik is expendable.

Rival executives feel that Philadelphia is a potential destination for both players as former Rockets executive Sam Hinkie is the Sixers’ new GM. Hinkie was part of the Houston front office that signed both Asik and Lin with backloaded offer sheets last summer.

Lin is available as well, though they’d have to get a starting point guard in return. Teams believe the Rockets will move both Asik and Lin if they seal the deal with Howard this week. In a move that may or may not be noteworthy, Lin was not invited to Houston’s pitch meeting with Howard, sources told Berger.

Several Teams In On Andrew Bynum

June 30th, 2013 at 2:35pm CST by Zachary Links

There will be no shortage of interest in free agent center Andrew Bynum when the clock strikes midnight tonight, sources tell Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld. One source specifically mentioned the Trail Blazers and Cavaliers as two teams expected to reach out to Bynum along with all of the franchises with cap space that are pursuing center Dwight Howard.

Howard will meet with the Hawks, Mavericks, Lakers, Warriors and Rockets. Of those five, the Hawks, Mavs, and Rockets have the necessary space under the cap to make a max, or near max, offer without needing to do a sign-and-trade.

Bynum, of course, missed all of last season with the Sixers due to serious knee problems. However, his people have been on the record saying that he'll be ready for the start of training camp. Despite his issues, Bynum will be the most talented center on the market once Howard signs.