Houston GM Rafael Stone said Tuesday that he hopes recent trade acquisition Victor Oladipo could become a long-term fit with the Rockets. Oladipo, who was acquired in the blockbuster James Harden trade, is in the final year of his contract at $21 million for this season.
Over his first three outings in Houston, Oladipo is averaging 22.3 points, 6.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in 33.0 minutes per game.
Here’s what Stone told SportsTalk 790 host Sean Salisbury, who asked whether the two-time All-Star would be sticking around long-term:
I hope so. We’ve had a lot of conversations. He’s been a great addition, not just on the court, but off the court. A really, really good guy.
In our talks with Vic, it’s more, let’s get to know each other. Hopefully this is a wonderful marriage. Again, his first practice with the team was yesterday. I think he really enjoys his teammates and his coaches. I know and Coach Silas are going to spend some time today looking at film. We’re trying to build. So, I very much hope so — that’s what I would say.
There’s no rush to reach a definitive conclusion today. However, for Stone and the Rockets, there is an incentive to have a better understanding of Oladipo’s future before the March 25 trade deadline.
Should the 6-foot-4 guard be viewed as a flight risk after the season, either because he wants to leave or due to a dispute over future financial terms, it might make sense to trade him before this season’s deadline — rather than risk him leaving for no compensation in the offseason.
Victor Oladipo in Houston
💰Extension eligible but only for 2 years/$45.2M. Starting on June 21, Oladipo could sign for 4 years/$112.9M
🏀Eligible to be traded but cannot be aggregated until March 7.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) January 16, 2021
At the moment, Oladipo is only eligible to sign a two-year extension with the Rockets for $45.2 million. However, as of June 21, he will be able to sign a four-year deal to stay in Houston for up to $112.9 million. Oladipo will turn 29 years old in May, so he might want extra years of security.
While the Rockets and Oladipo can’t put pen to paper on most longer-term proposals before the March 25 deadline, they could attempt to have an understanding as to whether it’s viable — both from Oladipo’s perspective regarding his desire to stay, as well as from the team’s side and whether they deem him worthy of that type of long-term investment.
Moving forward, it’s a storyline worth monitoring from both sides as the trade deadline for the NBA’s 2020-21 season approaches.
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