Houston Rockets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Rockets’ Amen Thompson Sprains Ankle In Debut

July 8th, 2023 at 2:46pm CST by Rory Maher

JULY 8, 2:46pm: An MRI on Thompson’s ankle revealed that he has a Grade 2 sprain and will be sidelined for three or four weeks, per Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link). While we won’t see Thompson again in Summer League, there’s no reason to think he won’t be ready for training camp in September.

JULY 8, 5:39am: Although Thompson’s injury isn’t viewed as serious, he’ll undergo an MRI on Saturday and is very likely to be held out of action for the rest of Summer League, per Kelly Iko and Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

JULY 7: Scoot Henderson wasn’t the only top pick injured in his NBA Summer League debut. Unfortunately, Rockets guard Amen Thompson, who was selected directly after Henderson at fourth overall, appeared to suffer a lower left leg injury late in the same game (Twitter video link via ESPN).

Thompson was clearly in a lot of pain, but he was eventually able to gingerly walk off the court with assistance, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.

A source tells ESPN’s Tim MacMahon that Thompson suffered a sprained ankle that isn’t considered serious (Twitter links). The 20-year-old said the team’s staff will determine whether or not he plays again in Summer League.

“It’s pretty sore,” Thompson said, per MacMahon.

Thompson showed flashes of tantalizing upside in his marquee matchup with Henderson, finishing with 16 points (on 6-of-13 shooting), five assists, four rebounds, four blocks and three steals in 28 minutes against the Trail Blazers. The Rockets wound up winning the game on a Jabari Smith buzzer-beater.

Jermaine Samuels Making Strong Impression On Rockets

July 8th, 2023 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Free agent forward Jermaine Samuels has impressed Rockets officials in practice and could be a candidate for a roster spot or a two-way deal, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.

Rockets Sign Fred VanVleet To Three-Year Contract

July 7th, 2023 at 1:10pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 7: The Rockets have officially signed VanVleet, the team announced today in a press release.

As previously noted, VanVleet’s three-year deal includes a third-year team option.

JUNE 30: Fred VanVleet is leaving Toronto, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links), who hears from agents Rich Paul and Erika Ruiz that the free agent point guard will join the Rockets on a three-year, maximum-salary contract.

The No. 2 player on our list of 2023’s top 50 free agents, VanVleet is the first free agent to land a max deal this summer, Wojnarowski notes. The agreement will pay him a total of $128.5MM across three seasons, including a starting salary of $40.8MM in 2023/24, which will eat up a huge chunk of Houston’s cap room.

It’s a massive payday for VanVleet, who began his NBA career in 2016 as an undrafted free agent on a minimum-salary contract. Over the course of seven seasons in Toronto, he evolved from little-used reserve to key rotation member on a championship team to All-Star starting point guard.

The former Wichita State standout signed a four-year, $85MM contract during his last foray into free agency in 2020, but opted out of that deal after the third year in order to secure an even larger payday.

VanVleet is coming off a down season, having made a career-worst 34.2% of his three-point attempts in 2022/23 as his defense also took a step back. However, it appears the Rockets are willing to chalk up his struggles to nagging injuries and bad luck rather than assuming it’s the beginning of a downward trend. The 6’1″ guard has never been a great finisher around the rim, but he was a career 38.2% three-point shooter prior to last season and has been an asset on defense in the past.

The Rockets had more cap room (approximately $64MM) than any other team in the NBA entering free agency, putting them in position to aggressively pursue their preferred targets. While James Harden was mentioned earlier in the year as a candidate to return to Houston, VanVleet had clearly become the team’s top point guard target in the days leading up to free agency.

With the Raptors doing their best to bring back VanVleet, the Rockets apparently had to tack on an extra season to the two-year, maximum-salary offer they were said to be preparing for the 29-year-old in order to secure his commitment. Even with $40MM earmarked for VanVleet, Houston still has about $25MM in cap room available to continue making moves.

Meanwhile, it’s unclear how the Raptors intend to address their suddenly gaping hole at point guard. The club had spent the last year or two seeking a reliable backup for VanVleet and will now have to find a new starter too.

[UPDATE: Raptors to sign Dennis Schröder]

As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, Toronto could try to work out a sign-and-trade with Houston to generate a huge trade exception. However, there’s no reason for the Rockets to agree to that unless they’re incentivized to do so, so the Raptors would probably have to give up a second-round pick or two to make it happen.

Rockets Sign Jeff Green To Two-Year Contract

July 7th, 2023 at 12:07pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 7: The Rockets have officially signed Green, the team announced today in a press release.

As we relayed in a separate story, the terms of Green’s deal have reportedly been amended — it’s now a two-year, $16MM contract, with a non-guaranteed second year. He was signed into Houston’s cap room.

JULY 1: The Rockets and free agent forward Jeff Green have agreed to a one-year, $6MM contract, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Green, who will turn 37 in August, is entering his 16th NBA season, but showed with the Nuggets in 2022/23 that he still has a little left in the tank. He averaged 7.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game across 56 appearances.

Green’s three-point percentage dipped to 28.8% last season, but he has a career 33.7% rate and can defend multiple frontcourt positions. He played rotation minutes during Denver’s championship run, appearing in all 20 playoff games and averaging 17.2 minutes per night.

The Nuggets were open to a reunion with Green, but not at the salary he’s getting from Houston, tweets Mike Singer of The Denver Post.

It has been a busy day for the Rockets, who have agreed to a series of moves that will eat up most of their cap room, including a free agent deal with Jock Landale, a sign-and-trade for Dillon Brooks, and a trade for Patty Mills, who will be rerouted as part of the Brooks sign-and-trade. Depending on how Houston structures its transactions, Green could either be signed into cap space or the room exception.

The Rockets likely envision Green as a player who can be a leader in the locker room and provide some veteran savvy on the court.

Rockets Notes: Brooks Deal, Green, Harden, Martin

July 7th, 2023 at 11:48am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets‘ multi-team sign-and-trade deal for Dillon Brooks will expand further to include the trade agreement between Houston and the Clippers involving Kenyon Martin Jr., according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required).

Houston’s deal that sends TyTy Washington and Usman Garuba to the Hawks will also be part of the Brooks sign-and-trade with the Grizzlies. With the Clippers involved and the Thunder set to take on Patty Mills in the complex transaction, it will be at least a five-team trade.

The Rockets, who acquired a second-round pick from Brooklyn for Mills and are getting two more from the Clippers for Martin, will send out five second-rounders in the deal — two to Atlanta and three to Oklahoma City. Those three picks going to the Thunder haven’t been reported yet, so it’s possible they’ll just be the three selections that Houston is receiving from the Nets and Clippers.

As we wait for the Rockets to complete their offseason moves, here are a few more notes out of Houston:

Jeff Green‘s contract with the Rockets, originally reported to be worth $6MM for one year, will actually be for $16MM over two, with a non-guaranteed second year, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. Marks adds that Green’s first-year cap hit will be $8MM. If that figure is precise, rather than rounded, it means the forward will have to be signed using cap room rather than the room exception, which maxes out at $7.7MM.
The hiring of Ime Udoka as head coach was a major factor in the Rockets’ decision to pivot away from James Harden and toward Fred VanVleet in free agency, a league source tells Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “From everything we’ve gotten out of there, it was a matter that Ime didn’t want him,” the source said. “At the beginning, were they thinking about Harden? Yeah. But then they hired Ime, and Ime said, ‘It’s not going to work here.'”
Appearing on The IkoSystem podcast, Kenyon Martin Jr. spoke to Kelly Iko of The Athletic about the trade that will send him from the Rockets to the Clippers. Martin said that he appreciates the opportunity the Rockets gave him and added that Houston “will always have a place in my heart,” but admitted he’s looking forward to returning home to Los Angeles, where he was born and raised (Twitter audio clip).

Nets Officially Trade Patty Mills To Rockets

July 6th, 2023 at 12:41pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 7: The pick the Nets received in the trade is their own 2024 second-rounder with top-55 protection, reports Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Houston acquired Brooklyn’s 2024 second-rounder in a prior trade and will retain it if it lands between 31-55 next June.

JULY 6: The Nets and Rockets have officially completed their trade sending guard Patty Mills to Houston, according to a pair of press releases from the clubs.

Along with Mills, Houston acquired the Bucks’ 2028 second-round pick. The Rockets sent a protected future second-rounder to Brooklyn. While the exact details on that pick aren’t known, it’ll have top-55 protection, tweets Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

Mills will only be a Rocket temporarily. He’s being flipped to the Thunder as part of Houston’s Dillon Brooks sign-and-trade acquisition, as Adrian Wojnarowski first reported over the weekend.

Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link) suggests Oklahoma City will be receiving three second-round picks as part of its deal for Mills, though we’re still waiting for clarity on the full terms of that trade agreement. According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link), the Rockets will actually send two second-round picks to Oklahoma City and will amend the terms of a previously traded second-rounder.

A veteran combo guard who will turn 35 next month, Mills was no longer a major part of the Nets’ rotation last season — his 14.3 minutes per game represented his lowest average since the 2012/13 season. He averaged 6.2 points and 1.4 assists in 40 appearances, with a shooting line of .411/.366/.833.

“Patty was an exemplary representative of the Nets during his two years in Brooklyn, both for his contributions on the court and his impact in the community,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said in a statement. “We thank Patty for all he has brought to our organization and wish him and Alyssa nothing but the best in their next chapter.”

Mills is earning $6.8MM on an expiring contract in 2023/24. By acquiring him using cap space and using him as a salary-matching piece in a subsequent deal, the Rockets will be able to preserve a bigger chunk of cap room before eventually abiding by salary-matching rules to go over the cap in their sign-and-trade for Brooks. That deal is expected to involve four or five teams, including the Grizzlies and Hawks — as noted above, the full details aren’t yet known.

It’s not clear if the Thunder plan to hang onto Mills once they acquire him. If they cut him, he’d be eligible to sign with any team besides Houston (including Brooklyn).

Aaron Holiday Signs One-Year Contract With Rockets

July 6th, 2023 at 12:32pm CST by Rory Maher

JULY 10: The signing is official, according to a team press release.

JULY 6: Aaron Holiday is signing a one-year contract with the Rockets, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported earlier today that the Hornets and Rockets were among the teams interested in the free agent guard.

Holiday spent his first three NBA seasons with the Pacers, the team that selected him 23rd overall in the 2018 draft. He was sent to the Wizards two years ago as part of the massive five-team deal that saw Russell Westbrook head to the Lakers, and was later sent to the Suns at the 2022 trade deadline for cash.

Phoenix chose not to give Holiday a qualifying offer last summer in order to make him a restricted free agent, and he wound up signing a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum with the Hawks. Kelly Iko of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that the combo guard will once again be on a minimum-salary contract.

The Rockets were on the lookout for guard depth after trading TyTy Washington and Josh Christopher (to different teams) and releasing Daishen Nix, Iko adds (Twitter link).

Holiday, 26, appeared in 63 games for the Hawks in 2022/23, but his role was quite limited, averaging career lows in points (3.9) and assists (1.4) in 13.4 minutes per contest. The 6’0″ guard is a 37.7% career three-point shooter and converted 36 of his 88 attempts last season (40.9%).

Raptors Rumors: Siakam, Anunoby, VanVleet, Ujiri

July 5th, 2023 at 12:40pm CST by Luke Adams

Although he reportedly doesn’t want to play anywhere but Toronto, Pascal Siakam and the Raptors have yet to formally meet to discuss a possible contract extension, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, who says that trade speculation about the two-time All-NBA forward continues to percolate.

As Grange previously reported, the Hawks, who have been repeatedly linked to Siakam throughout the offseason, attempted to re-engage the Raptors in trade talks this past weekend, while other teams are also believed to have checked in. One possible trade scenario that Grange has heard about would involve both the Hawks and Rockets, though he’s not sure about the specifics.

Despite the rumors and speculation, it remains unclear whether the Raptors are seriously thinking about moving the 29-year-old. According to Grange, sources around the league who had questions about Toronto’s direction entering this offseason still haven’t been able to get a clear read on the front office’s plans.

“They’re not the easiest team to deal with, I’ll just say that,” one source said to Grange.

Siakam isn’t the only Raptors forward who should still be considered a possible trade candidate. OG Anunoby is entering a contract year and isn’t necessarily assured of a long-term future in Toronto. Grange says Anunoby “remains on the watch list for several teams” and singles out the Knicks as one club with considerable interest.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

According to Grange, the Raptors’ veterans – particularly Siakam and Fred VanVleet – were frustrated last season by some of the team’s younger players. VanVleet “let them know about it, something the younger set didn’t appreciate at all,” Grange writes.
In the same story, Grange says that Raptors president Masai Ujiri spoke to players multiple times last season to express his displeasure with “selfish play and poor body language.” According to Grange, former head coach Nick Nurse may have been planning his exit from the franchise during the season, recognizing that he would likely be let go at season’s end.
The best offer the Raptors were prepared to make to VanVleet in free agency was a four-year deal that included a partially guaranteed final year, with $100MM in total guaranteed money, Grange reports. VanVleet opted for the Rockets’ three-year, $128MM+ deal, even though it will reportedly only include two guaranteed seasons.
Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca checks in on a number of Raptors-related topics, including where the team’s 2023/24 cap stands and why the club decided to guarantee Thaddeus Young‘s $8MM salary for the coming season.

Rockets Rumors: Lucas, Powell, Landale, VanVleet

July 4th, 2023 at 5:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Longtime Rockets assistant John Lucas won’t be part of Ime Udoka’s staff but he’ll remain in the organization, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports. He’ll move to a front office role, working as an assistant to GM Rafael Stone.

Lucas, a former Cavaliers, Spurs and Sixers head coach, joined Mike D’Antoni’s staff in Houston during the 2016/17 season and has been with the franchise since then.

We have more on the Rockets:

Houston’s first-year offer to Mavericks free agent Dwight Powell was higher than the $8MM Jock Landale will receive next season as part of his four-year, $32MM contract agreement with Houston, Marc Stein reports in a Substack post. Powell decided to take the Mavs’ three-year offer, even though it totaled only $12MM. Only the first year of Landale’s contract is guaranteed — it’s probably safe to assume the same was true of the offer for Powell.
Speaking of Landale, he knows he has to show the Rockets he’s worthy of getting the full value to his contract, he told ESPN’s Olgun Uluc. “I felt as though I’d worked my way to when I played and when I played heavy minutes, I always produced,” Landale said. “If I can get the trust of a coach who has the front office behind me, and they’re all supportive of the decision, absolutely I believe I can play to that contract. I also feel that, given it’s non-guaranteed, there’s no ability for me to take my foot off the gas, and I feel that’s really important and plays into my character a bit. I’ve still got to earn everything.”
While they paid an extremely high price financially, the Rockets finally have a much-needed stabilizing presence, leader and offensive connector in Fred VanVleet, Kelly Iko of The Athletic writes. Houston’s offense lacked cohesion and control in recent seasons and VanVleet’s presence should change that.

Rockets Announce Coaching Staff For 2023/24

July 3rd, 2023 at 3:46pm CST by Rory Maher

New head coach Ime Udoka officially announced his coaching staff for the 2023/24 season, the Rockets announced in a press release.

Ben Sullivan, Royal Ivey, Garrett Jackson, Tiago Splitter, Cam Hodges and Mike Moser will be Udoka’s assistants, per the team. Sullivan, Ivey, Jackson, Splitter and Moser were all previously reported additions (or in Splitter’s case, nearing a deal). That makes Hodges the only real new hire, based on reporting we’ve seen.

All six coaches have ties to Udoka. According to the Rockets, Sullivan got his NBA start as an assistant video coordinator after Udoka recommended him to the Spurs. Udoka was an assistant coach in San Antonio at the time. Sullivan has been an assistant with the Hawks, Bucks and Celtics over the past several seasons, including under Udoka in Boston in 2021/22.

Ivey, a 10-year NBA veteran as a player, has made previous coaching stops with Oklahoma City, New York and Brooklyn. He was a Nets assistant for the past three seasons, including alongside Udoka in ’20/21.

Jackson and Moser were player enhancement coaches for the Celtics. Jackson was with Boston for the past two seasons, while Moser was there for one. Udoka was suspended for all of last season by Boston after an affair with a team staffer, but he likely hired Moser even though they only worked together for a short period.

Splitter, another former NBA player, was Udoka’s teammate on the Spurs in ’10/11 and coached alongside him in Brooklyn in ’20/21. He has been an assistant with the Nets for the past four years.

Hodges got his NBA start with the Spurs as a player development assistant and worked with Udoka in both San Antonio and Philadelphia. He has been a coaching associate with the Clippers since 2020, according to Houston’s release.