Southwest Notes: Morant, Rockets, Grizzlies, Edey
The Grizzlies have multiple suitors with interest in Ja Morant and are “wide open for business” when it comes to their star point guard, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (video link).
However, Charania adds that any deal involving Morant is likely going to have to wait on trade talks regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo. That’s especially true in the case of a team such as the Heat, who are reportedly interested in both players. Miami will prioritize any possibility of a move for the Bucks’ star, shifting the pursuit of Morant to the back burner.
Charania also emphasizes that Morant’s contract, which covers through two more years after this season, gives Memphis more flexibility in terms of extracting value in a deal than the Hawks were able to get for Trae Young, who has a player option for next season.
Morant is expected to miss at least two more weeks with an elbow sprain, meaning he will be out past the trade deadline. The 26-year-old two-time All-Star is averaging 19.5 points and 8.1 assists per game this season.
We have more from around the Southwest Division:
- The Rockets received a blow to their depth and identity when they confirmed today that Steven Adams has undergone season-ending surgery on his ankle. In the wake of the injury, Houston will lean more on Clint Capela, but head coach Ime Udoka doesn’t expect to use Capela in two-big lineups with Alperen Sengun in the same way he deployed Adams, Varun Shankar writes for the Houston Chronicle. “People are calling non-stop,” Udoka said when asked if the Rockets would consider pursuing another center at the trade deadline. “It depends on what’s out there. But I think we are totally fine going with Clint and our small-ball lineups if need be. But let’s see what shakes out. Like I said, people are calling more for our guys than us reaching out.”
- The Grizzlies have struggled with injuries to their guard rotation throughout the season, but reinforcements are on the horizon. Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr. have both been assigned to the Memphis Hustle in the G League as they work towards making their season debuts, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports (via Twitter). The assignment will give Jerome a chance to get some reps in before potentially making his return in the coming week. Pippen is still a couple of weeks from returning from the toe surgery that has kept him sidelined since the offseason, Cole adds. The 25-year-old guard is in the second year of a four-year, $9.6MM contract. Over his last two seasons with Memphis, he has averaged 10.5 points and 4.5 assists on .483/.402/.721 shooting splits in 22.1 minutes per game.
- Zach Edey is still multiple weeks away from being reevaluated for the stress reaction in his ankle that has kept him sidelined since early December, but according to multiple orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons, there’s plenty of reason to think that the second-year Grizzlies center will make a full recovery and be fine moving forward, Cole writes in an article for the Commercial Appeal. “The ligaments have healed stable, so that should be resolved,” said Dr. Kenneth Jung of Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in Los Angeles. “When you’re dealing with stress in the bone, that’s not necessarily instability. You would imagine once the bone heals, he should be able to get back out there and do whatever he needs to do with the instability already resolved.” When asked if fans should be concerned about the lingering injury this year, Dr. Nicholas Strasser of Vanderbilt University said, “Is it a concern? Yes, but sometimes it just needs time to heal and respond. You wish you can speed it up as much as possible, but the human body just needs to be given the time for it to go through the healing process. I guess I wouldn’t be too concerned right now. It’s hard to be patient through that process.”
Rockets Notes: Durant, Eason, Finney-Smith, Offense
The Rockets‘ trade for Kevin Durant accelerated their expectations after the incremental success the team experienced last season, but they’ve found it surprisingly difficult to replace the grit provided by Dillon Brooks, writes The Athletic’s William Guillory in a mid-season retrospective of the trade co-written with Doug Haller.
Guillory notes that after starting the season 16-6, Houston began struggling to replicate the physicality and intensity of last season’s squad, to the consternation of head coach Ime Udoka. Losing two players, plus the top-10 pick that became Khaman Maluach, to bring in Durant also hurt the team’s depth, a problem exacerbated by the ACL tear that has sidelined Fred VanVleet for the entire season to this point.
However, Durant has still been fantastic, according to Guillory, who says swapping the aforementioned strengths of last year’s team to bring in a bona fide number one scoring option was a trade-off the team took a calculated risk on. Because the Rockets’ offense has struggled when teams overload on Durant and force someone else to score, Guillory notes that there could be some trade deadline tinkering to bring in another depth piece, but he doesn’t expect a big move for a starting-level point guard.
In terms of which team has “won” the trade six months after the fact, Guillory believes that both Houston and Phoenix ultimately got what they wanted, but if he had to pick a side, the Suns have come out ahead — the Rockets have yet to prove themselves to be top-tier contenders, while the Suns have exceeded expectations and are currently just one game behind Houston in the standings.
We have more from the Rockets:
- According to Udoka, Tari Eason is nearing a return to playing unrestricted minutes as he continues to work his way back from a right ankle sprain suffered in early January, reports Varun Shankar of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Eason played 28 minutes in Thursday’s overtime loss to the Sixers, contributing 13 points along with nine rebounds and four steals. It was the eighth time Eason had played 28 or more minutes this season, but he missed the following game on Friday against the Pistons due to right ankle management.
- In the same tweet, Shankar notes that Udoka expects Dorian Finney-Smith‘s road to a full workload to take longer as he looks to regain his rhythm following offseason ankle surgery. Udoka drew a parallel to how the team brought Steven Adams along last season, keeping his minutes per game below 15 until March, when he began logging longer stretches on the court. Finney-Smith is averaging a career-low 15.5 minutes in the 13 games he’s suited up for this season, and has struggled with his outside shot, knocking down just 28.6% of his threes despite 35 of his 44 field goal attempts this season coming from behind the arc.
- Udoka doesn’t believe that a point guard trade is incoming, writes ESPN’s Michael C. Wright. “We’ve always been confident and talked about our depth and relying on all these guys with Aaron [Holiday] and Jae’Sean [Tate] and guys that aren’t playing as much,” he said. “We want to see what [Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard] look like with a year of point guard play under their belt and getting Fred back eventually. For now, we want those guys to grow into that role.” Instead, the team has built an offense that dominates inside (with the seventh-highest percentage of points coming in the paint), crashes the glass, and is efficient from three, despite not being prolific. Adams’ Grade 3 ankle sprain could make it trickier for the team to maintain its edge on the offensive glass. In his absence, the team will turn to Clint Capela as the primary backup center, with Jabari Smith Jr. expected to play some minutes as a small-ball five.
Trade Rumors: MPJ, Kuminga, Raptors, Rockets, Clippers
Recent reporting from ESPN and The Athletic indicated that the Warriors haven’t engaged in any substantive talks with the Nets about Michael Porter Jr. Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area also hears Golden State has been “hesitant” to pursue Porter and suggests the team’s interest in the veteran forward has been overstated.
According to Johnson, if the Warriors do make a run at Porter, it would likely require a third team, as the Nets aren’t interested in Jonathan Kuminga.
However, Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com has heard differently, citing sources who say the Warriors are not only interested in Porter but have “something brewing” in regard to the 27-year-old ahead of the February 5 trade deadline. As Afseth writes, Porter is having a career year in Brooklyn and scouts think he could help just about any team.
Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Both Johnson and Afseth confirm the Lakers are a team to watch for Kuminga, who demanded a trade on Thursday, the first day he was eligible to be moved. President of basketball operations Rob Pelinka likes Kuminga’s game, sources tell Johnson, and the Lakers think the 23-year-old would provide athleticism on the wing alongside Luka Doncic. Still, it’s unclear if the two Pacific Division rivals would make an in-season trade, Johnson notes.
- Although the Raptors have been described as a buyer heading into the deadline, Afseth’s sources refer to Toronto’s approach as being “opportunistic” in search of potential buy-low opportunities. That may be why the team has been linked to stars like Anthony Davis, Domantas Sabonis and Ja Morant, all of whom have dealt with significant health issues this season.
- Houston’s front office isn’t overreacting to the Rockets‘ recent struggles, writes Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports. Team sources tell Iko the Rockets have discussed trade concepts with approximately half the teams in the league, but no deals are imminent and they aren’t aggressively searching for upgrades. Opposing teams have checked in on the availability of Tari Eason, Clint Capela and Dorian Finney-Smith, Iko adds.
- There was speculation that the Clippers might be a seller after a miserable start to the season, but now they’re considered a possible buyer after reeling off 11 wins in their past 13 games, per Afseth, with John Collins and Bogdan Bogdanovic viewed as potential trade candidates. Collins is on an expiring $26.6MM contract, while Bogdanovic earns $16MM this season with an identical team option for 2026/27.
Injury Notes: Davis, Duren, Rockets, Warriors, Jazz
Mavericks big man Anthony Davis returned to action on Thursday vs. Philadelphia following a two-game absence due to a groin strain. Head coach Jason Kidd said the 10-time All-Star would immediately resume his normal workload, relays Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal.
“We always want him to play, so we’re happy to have him back,” Kidd said. “We’ll see — 30 to 34 minutes. We want to get him some touches. Offensively and defensively, we need him to be AD.”
Davis has been one of the biggest names in trade rumors for several weeks.
Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:
- Pistons center Jalen Duren suffered a right ankle sprain late in the second quarter of Thursday’s loss to Miami. While he was on the court to open the second half, he was moving gingerly and quickly asked for a sub before being formally ruled out for the remainder of the contest (Twitter link via the team). Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff indicated that Duren would likely undergo additional testing, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.
- The Rockets got Alperen Sengun back from a left soleus (calf) strain on Thursday, but were missing backup centers Steven Adams (right ankle sprain) and Clint Capela (illness) in the victory at Brooklyn, notes Will Guillory of The Athletic (via Twitter). Sengun missed two games with the injury, though head coach Ime Udoka said it wasn’t serious.
- The Warriors are resting Draymond Green for Friday’s matchup vs. Oklahoma City, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link). It’s the front end of a back-to-back for Golden State, which faces Utah on Saturday. Guards Stephen Curry (left ankle sprain) and De’Anthony Melton (left knee injury management) are questionable for Friday’s game against the Thunder, while centers Al Horford (right sciatic nerve irritation) and Trayce Jackson-Davis (right pattellar tendonitis) are probable to suit up against the defending champions.
- The Jazz only have nine players active for Thursday’s contest at the Clippers. Among the noteworthy players out are Lauri Markkanen (left knee contusion), Keyonte George (illness), Jusuf Nurkic (left big toe sprain) and Ace Bailey (left hip flexor strain), per the league’s official injury report.
Southwest Notes: Mavericks, Gafford, Irving, Rockets, Morant
Tonight’s game in Mexico City is an important part of the NBA’s international outreach and a chance for the Mavericks to build their fan base in the neighboring nation, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). The Mavs’ contest against Detroit marks their eighth appearance in Mexico and the NBA’s 33rd overall since 1992.
“For fans outside of the U.S., the opportunity for them to enjoy a live experience of an NBA game is very limited,” said Raul Zarraga, vice president and managing director of NBA Mexico. “This is part of our commitment to provide this live experience to fans all around the world.”
Dwight Powell, the only player left on the roster from the Mavericks’ last trip to Mexico during the 2019/20 season, recalls the crowd being “extremely energetic.” Zarraga said Mexican fans as a group don’t have a strong rooting interest in any franchise, but they tend to like the three Texas teams as well as those with successful histories such as the Bulls, Lakers and Heat.
One of tonight’s top attractions will be No. 1 draft pick Cooper Flagg, who’s looking forward to playing in front of an international crowd.
“I’ve been to Cancun one time for a vacation, but other than that, I’ve never been to Mexico,” Flagg said. “I’m excited. I’ve heard it’s really beautiful. Detroit’s a really good team, so it should be a competitive, high-level game.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Daniel Gafford is in the Mavericks‘ starting lineup as he makes his season debut, but coach Jason Kidd said he’ll be restricted to about 15-18 minutes, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Twitter link). D’Angelo Russell is also active after being listed as questionable with a left knee contusion.
- Asked about Kyrie Irving at tonight’s pregame press conference, Kidd hinted that his star guard could be back in action before the end of the year, Curtis tweets. “We just can’t wait to get Kai back, at some point,” Kidd said. “Hopefully it’s in the year of ’25, not ’26. We’ll see what happens, but I think those two (Irving/Flagg) will be a perfect match in the backcourt.”
- Rockets coach Ime Udoka is still working out his rotation and is trying to create more playing time for backup center Clint Capela, according to Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Udoka added that there’s still no timetable for Dorian Finney-Smith, who is recovering from offseason ankle surgery, but he and Jae’Sean Tate will get a chance to earn rotation roles when they’re fully healthy. Tate is currently restricted to 15 minutes per game.
- The Grizzlies have already reached a turning point in their season after today’s one-game suspension of Ja Morant, contends Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Cole states that Morant seemed “disengaged” during Friday’s loss to the Lakers, and he was upset after a post-game interaction with coach Tuomas Iisalo, who is known for being direct with players. Cole adds that the season could unravel quickly if Morant, Iisalo and Jaren Jackson Jr. don’t work together as leaders.
Rockets Notes: VanVleet, Thompson, Sheppard, Sengun, Udoka
Less than a month after undergoing surgery on his torn ACL, Rockets guard Fred VanVleet was in attendance at Thursday’s practice in a coaching capacity, writes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard, who have taken on increased ball-handling responsibilities in VanVleet’s absence, expressed appreciation at having the veteran around again.
“It’s already like the old days,” Thompson said. “He’s giving me advice. Just asking him a lot of questions, seeing how he runs the floor.”
Sheppard said VanVleet gave him some instruction on screening angles and slowing down the offense, according to Lerner (Twitter link).
“I’ve said it multiple times, Fred’s been unbelievable to me,” Sheppard said. “I’ve learned so much from him. So just having him back on the court, speaking what he sees and stuff, is really special.”
A team source tells The Houston Chronicle that VanVleet may try to travel with the Rockets on their two-game road trip to Toronto and Boston next week.
Here’s more on the Rockets:
- There’s no consensus among rival executives and scouts around the NBA about whether Houston will eventually need to acquire a veteran point guard to fill in for VanVleet or whether the team will be fine with youngsters like Thompson and Sheppard running the show, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. While one source who spoke to Windhorst criticized Sheppard’s defense and said it makes it “tough to play him at times,” another expressed confidence in the former No. 3 overall pick’s ability to handle his new role. “You can focus on what he can’t do, but I’ve followed him since he was a teenager and all he’s done is overcome doubters,” that exec told ESPN. “Just give him time.”
- After making just 21 total three-point shots last season, Alperen Sengun went 5-of-8 from beyond the arc on Tuesday vs. Oklahoma City. While it would be a “game-changer” for the Rockets if Sengun establishes himself as a reliable threat from outside, not everyone is convinced that will happen, writes ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. However, opposing evaluators are more willing to buy into the big man’s improved “vision and shot creation,” per Bontemps. “He’s way better than I ever thought he would be, and the thing that’s impressive about him is he’s got a really strong command of the game as far as directing traffic,” one scout said. “He’s thinking the game at a higher level than a lot of his teammates. They know it, and they’re following his lead.”
- Following a rebuilding period, Houston is back to being a desirable destination for players around the NBA, according to Lerner (subscription required), who says the presence of head coach Ime Udoka is one key reason why players want to join the Rockets. “I love it because he’s tough, he’s gonna tell you stuff right away,” said Clint Capela, who returned to Houston as a free agent over the summer. “I feel that that’s what you need. The season is so long, and at the end of the season it’s more mental and toughness to fight through fatigue, to fight through minor injuries … and that type of coach who is very good at motivating guys and talks can actually get you to play harder. That’s what it’s about whenever you get to the postseason.”
Rockets Notes: Capela, Smith, Thompson, Sheppard, Davison
It came as a bit of a surprise in free agency when the Rockets, with Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams on multiyear deals in the middle, made a deal to reacquire Clint Capela, who spent the first six years of his NBA career in Houston. But with the Rockets leaning into bigger lineups, they valued the opportunity to bring back Capela, and he reciprocated their interest, suggesting that he had unfinished business in Houston.
“I feel like when I left (Houston in a 2020 trade), it was something that wasn’t done,” Capela said, according to Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). “What I’ve missed the most is the fans, the support that I feel about the city. Whenever I left, that’s when I realized how special it was to represent this team in the city and be able to be, really, a real contender. I really missed that, and that’s why I feel that it’s so special to be here with this team.”
After experimenting last season by playing Sengun and Adams alongside one another, head coach Ime Udoka views Capela as a player he can use either as the lone big man in a five-man unit or next to Sengun in a jumbo frontcourt.
“(Capela) is a different player as far as rim protection, lob threat,” Udoka said. “Even probably out of those three (centers), he might switch and move his feet the best. Alpi’s good as well, but all those things. And then, like I said, with Alpi’s versatility, he could play with either of them. Alpi seems to be more aggressive when he has another big guy behind him.”
We have more on the Rockets:
- The Rockets opened their preseason schedule on Monday with a 122-113 victory over Atlanta. Lerner and William Guillory of The Athletic share the key takeaways from that game, including Jabari Smith Jr. looking comfortable in his return to the starting lineup and Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard sharing ball-handling duties evenly when they were on the court together.
- While Thompson and Sheppard figure to be Houston’s primary ball-handlers with Fred VanVleet out due to a torn ACL, two-way player JD Davison did his best on Monday to show he deserves consideration for rotation minutes, as Brian Robb of MassLive.com writes. Davison had 17 points and four assists in 22 minutes of action, with five made three-pointers. “He’s been great,” Udoka said of the former Celtic. “Very aggressive, handles well, makes good decisions out of the pick and roll. He’s a big body who can pick up full court, so he brings aggression on both sides of the ball. He’s taken advantage of the opportunity.”
- An ESPN panel explores the impact that VanVleet’s injury will have on the Rockets this season, with Kevin Pelton outlining why Houston might actually miss the veteran point guard more on the defensive end of the court, while Bobby Marks explains why the team isn’t in a great position at the moment to trade for or sign a replacement point guard.
Southwest Notes: Rockets, Christie, Lazare, Spurs
Rockets fans should expect to see much more of the two-big lineups featuring Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams this season, writes Kelly Iko for The Athletic.
Despite the fact that neither are shooters — Sengun made just 23.3% of his three-pointers last season while Adams is 1-of-17 in his career from beyond the arc — Houston found an unexpected level of success playing the duo together. The two skilled international bigs were able to leverage their passing, rebounding, and toughness around the rim to great success, and Iko writes that other Western Conference teams took note and may attempt to follow suit.
Bringing in Clint Capela should help the Rockets manage Adams’ minutes, though since Capela is less of a play-maker than the other two centers, it remains to be seen if they’ll attempt to capture the same type of magic by putting him in lineups with Sengun.
The Rockets know that Sengun will have to expand his range, not just for these lineups, but also to facilitate playing with Amen Thompson, another very limited shooter. Iko writes that becoming more comfortable outside of the three-point line is one of Sengun’s priorities this offseason, and Thompson is hard at work on his jumper as well.
We have more from the Southwest division:
- Max Christie is excited to reunite with new Mavericks teammate D’Angelo Russell, writes Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News. “That’s one of my closest friends and closest teammates,” Christie said. “We were together for two years out in L.A. and I respect him a lot.” Christie has had an eventful start to his career, from playing with LeBron James to being included in a trade for Luka Doncic, to now forming a new young core with Cooper Flagg and Dereck Lively II to complement Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, when Irving returns from injury. He’s excited for the challenge, citing the day he was traded as his favorite day as an NBA player. “We got a good roster,” he said. “We got a good coaching staff. We’re looking forward to making a big splash in the West.”
- The Grizzlies are adding Darnell Lazare onto their coaching staff, Drew Hill reports for The Daily Memphian (subscriber link). Lazare previously worked for the Grizzlies as a player development coach in 2018 before joining the Pelicans in a similar role, notes Damichael Cole writes for Memphis Commercial Appeal. Cole writes that Lazare is expected to work with Memphis’ big man rotation after working closely with Pelicans rookie Yves Missi last season.
- The Spurs have committed over $1 billion in funding to San Antonio’s downtown revitalization, which will include a new arena, write Amanda Moreno and Chris Hoffman of News 4 San Antonio. The civic project, known as Project Marvel, could cost up to $4 billion in total, and the Spurs’ commitment is expected to help alleviate some of the fiscal concerns. The Spurs’ investment includes $500MM for a new arena, $500MM in downtown development, and $60MM in community incentives, affordable tickets, and small business support. “As we have done since 1973, we are operating in good faith, grounded in deep love for our community and a sincere desire to help San Antonio thrive,” said Spurs chairman Peter J. Holt. The team is asking the city to contribute another $500MM to the arena costs. The Spurs are expected to stay in their current home, the Frost Bank Arena, until 2032, when the lease expires.
Rockets’ Stone Talks KD, Whitmore, Green, Sheppard, Capela
Asked on Monday about the biggest factor that made the Rockets want to make a deal for Kevin Durant, general manager Rafael Stone offered a simple answer, per Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required).
“He’s Kevin Durant,” Stone said.
Stone went on to laud Durant’s shooting efficiency and prowess as a half-court scorer, suggesting that adding that dimension to the offense should make Houston a more well-rounded team. He’s also looking forward to seeing what the team’s young players learn from the 15-time All-Star.
“His work ethic is just awesome,” Stone said. “The speed at which he practices and kind of the intensity of which he practices is something that has made him great over the years, and it started when he was very young. And so of all the things that that I hope rubs off, that’s the main one.”
There was some uncertainty entering the offseason about how aggressive the Rockets would be in their pursuit of Durant, given that he’s entering his age-37 season and doesn’t necessarily fit the timeline of the club’s young core. Asked about that line of thinking, Stone suggested that Houston is no longer a “developmental” team and that he believes those young players are ready to win now.
“We were the No. 2 seed (in the West) last year, and I think a very legitimate one. And so we think we can contend now,” Stone said. “We lost a close series last year, and we thought we had a real chance of contending in the playoffs last year, and we hope to have a real chance of contending in the playoffs this year.”
Here’s more from the Rockets’ GM:
- The fact that Houston is no longer a “developmental” team is one reason why the front office felt like it made sense to move on from 2023 first-round pick Cam Whitmore, Stone explains. “We want to provide Cam with the opportunity to do in his career what we still believe he very much can do,” the GM said. “I think Cam is an insanely talented, really nice young man, and wanted to provide him an opportunity to go home and be in a situation where he could really play through mistakes in a way that we never could afford him, just in the iteration of the of the Rockets that he joined.”
- Including former No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green in the package for Durant was necessary due to salary-matching rules, but wasn’t easy, according to Stone. “Jalen is awesome. He did everything we asked,” Stone said. “He’s a wonderful combination of talent and work ethic, along with being just a great human being. And any time that you have the privilege to work with someone who is talented and works really hard and is really nice, you should value it. And so organizationally, we’ve valued him tremendously. So yeah, very hard.”
- Asked whether the Rockets still want to add more backcourt depth, Stone said the team will always be on the lookout for upgrades, but expressed skepticism that there are still meaningful moves on the way before the season begins (YouTube link). “I like our team as is,” he said. “… We’re hard-capped at the first apron and we have no space left, so I think very likely we’ll enter the season looking very similar to the way we look now. It’s pretty hard not to.”
- One reason the Rockets are comfortable with their current guards is a belief that 2024’s No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard is ready to take on a larger role. “Reed’s just going to have to be really good for us, period,” Stone said (YouTube link).
- Stone confirmed that the free agency addition of Clint Capela signals the Rockets’ willingness to lean on two-big lineups more in 2025/26 (YouTube link). “We loved that lineup once we discovered it last year. We thought it was really, really effective for us,” he said. “Also, Clint just adds something we don’t have in terms of being a center who can move a little bit easier on the perimeter, also as a lob threat. Finally, we just think depth is super-important. As we’re trying to make it through the season, we don’t want there to be huge drop-offs. We did not anticipate going into free agency that we would be able to get Clint, but we were ecstatic when that materialized.”
Contract Details: Capela, VanVleet, Lopez, Ayton, LaRavia, Kalkbrenner
The Rockets‘ new three-year deal with Clint Capela includes a 5% trade kicker, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
The fully guaranteed deal is worth $21,105,000 over three years, Hoops Rumors has confirmed, coming in slightly below the initially reported price of $21.5MM. It includes a first-year salary of $6.7MM, with an ascending structure that sees it increase to $7.37MM by year three.
Here are a few more details on some recently signed contracts from around the NBA:
- Fred VanVleet‘s two-year, $50MM contract with the Rockets has a flat structure, with a $25MM first-year salary and a $25MM player option for 2026/27, Hoops Rumors has learned.
- Brook Lopez‘s two-year deal with the Clippers came in slightly below the reported $18MM price. It uses $8.75MM of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception for the 2025/26 season, leaving L.A. with $5,354,000 still to use. Lopez’s second-year team option is worth $9,187,500
- The Lakers‘ used up their entire $14,104,000 non-taxpayer mid-level exception on Deandre Ayton ($8,104,000) and Jake LaRavia ($6MM), as expected. Those salary figures are also Ayton’s and LaRavia’s cap hits for 2026/27 — Ayton’s second year is a player option and LaRavia’s is fully guaranteed.
- No. 34 overall pick Ryan Kalkbrenner signed a four-year, $9.97MM contract with the Hornets, according to Scotto (Twitter link). That’s the most he could earn under the terms of the second-round pick exception. Kalkbrenner’s first two years are fully guaranteed, with a third-year trigger date and a fourth-year team option, Scotto adds.