Category: HoopsHype

NBA trade value rankings: Rockets among HoopsHype’s Top 100 players

Rockets players Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Fred VanVleet, and Amen Thompson are all listed in HoopsHype’s Top 100 NBA players by trade value.

The eighth edition of HoopsHype’s NBA trade value rankings is here!

To conduct this exercise, HoopsHype staff members evaluated and ranked the top 100 players based on each player’s talent, production levels, past performances, age, availability, the scarcity of their position, their current contract and future prospects.

Here’s where several members of the 2023-24 Houston Rockets ended up, led by Alperen Sengun at No. 23 overall.

Others in the top 100 list were Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Fred VanVleet and Amen Thompson. The complete list is at HoopsHype, while rankings specific to the Rockets are available below.

Commentary and salary analysis is written by HoopsHype’s Frank Urbina and Yossi Gozlan. A detailed breakdown regarding all of Houston’s future salary obligations and contracts is available here.

Interview: Aaron Holiday on how the Rockets have turned things around

“I believe we’re going to get to the playoffs this year, for sure,” Rockets guard Aaron Holiday says in a new interview with HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.

Entering December, the Houston Rockets (8-8) have elevated from a bottom-tier lottery team in recent years to a potential 2023-24 playoff squad after an offseason spending spree that included acquiring Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks and hiring Ime Udoka as head coach.

Rockets guard Aaron Holiday, who was among the veteran free agent signings for an otherwise young Rockets team, recently spoke with HoopsHype insider Michael Scotto about how those veteran newcomers have worked to change Houston’s culture.

Other interview topics include whether the NBA is still sleeping on Houston; the development of Alperen Sengun; how Holiday has taken advantage of his own opportunity with the Rockets, and more.

Now 27 years old, Holiday averages 6.1 points (45.2% FG, 35.1% on 3-pointers) and 2.0 assists in 18.4 minutes as Houston’s backup point guard. He’s a trusted perimeter defender for Udoka, as well.

Transcripts of select portions of Holiday’s interview are available below, with the complete question-and-answer (Q&A) transcript available as part of Scotto’s latest NBA notebook at HoopsHype.

Report: As NBA trade season nears, Rockets aren’t interested in deal for Chicago’s Zach LaVine

Shooting guard has been a position of inconsistency for the Rockets, but Chicago’s Zach LaVine won’t be a trade target, per HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.

Between Jock Landale, Victor Oladipo, Jeff Green, and Jae’Sean Tate, Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone will have tradable salary to make the math work on potential deals in the weeks leading up to the February 2024 trade deadline for this season.

The Rockets (8-8) are off to a better-than-expected start to the 2023-24 campaign, and that’s despite inconsistency at shooting guard from Jalen Green and the unexpected loss of Kevin Porter Jr. just prior to the season (owing to his off-court arrest).

So, if Houston seeks an upgrade to bolster a playoff push, it would stand to reason that shooting guard could be a position of interest. But one player who won’t be a target, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, is seemingly disgruntled Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine.

From Scotto’s trade season preview, which includes information sourced from 15 NBA executives and league sources:

Looking ahead to the trade deadline, Houston will look to continue upgrading its roster with the tradeable contracts of Victor Oladipo, Jock Landale, Jeff Green, and future draft pick(s) compensation, league sources told HoopsHype.

Oladipo is on an expiring $9.45 million deal, Landale is owed $8 million this season and includes no guaranteed money next season, and Green is owed $9.6 million this season and has a team option and a non-guaranteed clause in his contract for next season, per our Rockets salaries page.

While Zach LaVine is one of the top names on the market, the Rockets are not in on his sweepstakes, HoopsHype has learned.

It’s also worth noting that over the past few seasons Jae’Sean Tate has also drawn exploratory trade interest from several playoff-caliber teams, league sources told HoopsHype.

Lastly, before signing with Houston, Reggie Bullock had interest from several teams, including the Bucks, Heat, Celtics, Clippers, and Pelicans. Given his proven 3-and-D capability and current role in Houston, he’s also a name to watch.

LaVine is under contract for more than $40 million annually through the 2026-27 season (player option), though his per-game production — while good — isn’t at nearly at a superstar level. Thus, the Rockets could be aiting for a better return on investment, both financially and in terms of the asset cost that a deal would require.

For the right player, Houston does own a considerable amount of future draft capital, which could be used to incentivize a deal.

December 15, which is two weeks away, is the unofficial start to the NBA’s trade season — since that’s the date in which most players who signed contracts in the recently completed offseason become trade eligible. That opens up considerably more options and targets around the league, and Stone and the Rockets should have incentive to be aggressive as their rebuild enters its second phase.

[lawrence-related id=118442,118080]

NBA executives poll: Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. poised for breakout seasons in 2023-24

In a poll of NBA executives, #Rockets prospects Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. are among the leading candidates to have a breakout season in 2023-24.

As the 2023-24 NBA season begins, which players are poised to make the biggest individuals across the league?

With that in mind, HoopsHype polled 25 NBA executives to determine who will be the top breakout candidates this season. Each was asked to list his top three players to have a breakout year.

Some executives voted for a younger player who could thrive with an increased role. Others voted for players on the cusp of becoming potential All-Stars for the first time.

Recent poll winners included Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey last season and Cleveland’s Darius Garland the year before, at which point he went on to become an All-Star for the first time.

After receiving feedback from the executives, voting results were tabulated. The top player received five points, the second received three points, and the third received one point for each ballot.

The complete list can be viewed here. As for players on the Rockets, we’ve got their placement and analysis below.

Alperen Sengun earns high ranking among NBA’s top centers of 2023-24 season

#Rockets big man Alperen Sengun checks in at No. 13 on the @HoopsHype top centers list, one spot ahead of Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren and just behind Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez.

Though he isn’t quite as high on his position list as fellow third-year prospect Jalen Green (No. 11 among shooting guards), Houston Rockets big man Alperen Sengun is still visible on HoopsHype’s rankings of top centers for the 2023-24 NBA season.

Sengun checks in at No. 13 on the list, one spot ahead of Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren but just behind Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez.

The 24-person list was decided by a vote of HoopsHype’s panel of writers and editors.

As for Sengun, here’s Frank Urbina’s explanation:

A center who could take a huge leap heading into next season, which we fully expect to happen considering his place in this ranking, is Houston Rockets big man Alperen Sengun. Sengun heads into his third NBA season with a lot of momentum, coming off a nice year in 2022-23 and following that up with a great showing playing for Turkey in international competition this summer.

Sengun is a player both the analytics and the eye test are quite high on — as VORP, BPM and WS/48 all already had him as a Top 90 player in the NBA last season (he was 53rd in BPM) while he also boasts a very aesthetically pleasing game.

Sengun has crafty throwback post-up moves, can shoot jumpers and is a creative passer, performing very much in the mold of the player coming up at No. 1 on this list. Under first-year year head coach Ime Udoka in Houston, we expect a big leap out of Sengun in 2023-24.

Interestingly enough, in a move that would have likely sent Sengun to a bench role, the Rockets attempted to sign Lopez this offseason. It didn’t work out, and the 21-year-old center from Turkey now has a greater opportunity once training camp begins on Oct. 3.

Sengun averaged 14.8 points (55.3% FG, 33.3% on 3-pointers), 9.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 28.9 minutes last season.

[lawrence-related id=116689,115952]

Most overpaid NBA players of all-time: Former Rockets guard leads list

Several big names with #Rockets ties are featured on the @HoopsHype list of the most overpaid NBA players of all-time, including one at No. 1 overall.

In the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, veteran guard John Wall was paid more than $80 million by the Rockets despite not playing a single game. Effectively, Houston prioritized minutes and development for its younger players ahead of the former five-time All-Star.

It was a bitter financial pill to swallow for owner Tilman Fertitta and general manager Rafael Stone, but it’s worth remembering there weren’t many alternatives when it came to acquiring Wall in the first place. At the time, aging star Russell Westbrook was disgruntled and on a nearly identical contract to Wall — and it wasn’t possible to move one very bloated contract without taking back another.

With that in mind, the Rockets swapped Westbrook for Wall and a future first-round draft pick just prior to the 2020-21 season. Because Wall was considered a somewhat lesser player with a greater injury history, Washington had to include a draft asset, and that incentive made sense for a Houston team starting its rebuild.

But from a basketball standpoint, Wall played one season with the franchise. In 2021-22, which was the second-to-last year of Wall’s contract at the time, Houston agreed to a non-playing arrangement with Wall while working to trade him. During the 2022 offseason, when it was clear that further trades weren’t realistic, the Rockets struck an agreement with Wall to buy out the final year.

Not surprisingly, Wall’s salary relative to production in those years contributed to him being statistically the most overpaid player in NBA history, according to HoopsHype’s Real Value metric.

Here’s a look at which players with Rockets ties ended up on HoopsHype’s list of the 30 most overpaid players of all-time with analysis by Frank Urbina and Raul Barrigon. It’s worth noting that some of these players were overpaid by non-Houston franchises during other portions of their long careers.

Where Jabari Smith Jr. ranks among NBA’s top power forwards of 2023-24 season

.@HoopsHype projects #Rockets prospect Jabari Smith Jr. to be the NBA’s No. 20 power forward in the 2023-24 season, just ahead of Utah’s John Collins.

Though his ranking isn’t as lofty as teammates Fred VanVleet (No. 16 among point guards) and Jalen Green (No. 11 among shooting guards), second-year prospect Jabari Smith Jr. is on HoopsHype’s power forward rankings for the 2023-24 NBA season.

Smith checks in at No. 20 on the list, one spot ahead of Utah’s John Collins and just behind Sacramento’s Keegan Murray, who was drafted just behind Smith in the top-four picks of the 2022 first round.

HoopsHype’s explanation:

It was a bit of a tough rookie season for 2022 No. 3 overall pick Jabari Smith Jr., who was highly inefficient on offense, sinking just 30.7% of his 3-point attempts and posting a true shooting percentage of 51.4, the eighth-worst mark in the league. Smith didn’t really make up for it on defense, either, failing to eclipse even one nightly block or steal.

Regardless, the Houston Rockets in 2022-23 were poorly coached to put it kindly and after the hiring of former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka, and the free-agent addition of a top-notch point guard like Fred VanVleet, Smith should be in for a far-improved 2023-24.

The former Auburn standout simply has to work on simplifying his game and not relying on such difficult shot attempts to get his buckets, something VanVleet can help with as a creator, and focus more defensively, where Udoka will help, as he’s thought of highly as a defensive teacher.

To say the least, HoopsHype’s Frank Urbina is one of many around the NBA to view Udoka as a far superior coach to Stephen Silas, his predecessor. It’ll be up to Udoka to live up to that hype once training camp begins for the 2023-24 Rockets in early October.

[lawrence-related id=115852,115829]

Where Fred VanVleet ranks among NBA’s top point guards of 2023-24 season

.@HoopsHype placed Fred VanVleet at No. 16 among point guards, edging out Cade Cunningham and Scoot Henderson while narrowly trailing Jrue Holiday, Darius Garland, and Kyrie Irving.

[anyclip pubname=”2123″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8170″]

At No. 11 among shooting guards, HoopsHype’s Frank Urbina is fairly bullish on where he projects rising Houston Rockets star Jalen Green to rank at his position during the NBA’s 2023-24 season.

On a list of point guards, however, Urbina isn’t quite as bullish on veteran backcourt mate Fred VanVleet, who joined the Rockets this offseason on a maximum-salaried contract for at least two years.

VanVleet checks in at No. 16 among point guards, just ahead of Cade Cunningham and Scoot Henderson but trailing Jrue Holiday, Darius Garland and Kyrie Irving.

Here’s the explanation:

After seven successful seasons with the Toronto Raptors, including one All-Star campaign and one championship earned, Fred VanVleet will suit up with the Houston Rockets for the first time in 2023-24 after securing a huge payday this past free agency. VanVleet put up solid numbers in 2022-23, but his efficiency was quite lacking, something that might not improve on a Rockets team in 2023-24 where he’ll have an even brighter green light.

What’s more, he’ll be getting paid like a top 15 player next campaign when his production does not match that level of pay. Regardless, VanVleet is one of the league’s most tenacious point guards, who plays with a lot of activity on both ends and who can put up big numbers consistently, so at least individually, he should have a solid 2023-24 campaign.

2023-24 salary: $40,806,300 (projected 14th overall)

It’s important to note, of course, that not all position groups are created equally. Point guard is a very strong position in the NBA, as evinced by Irving — a future Hall of Famer who remains very much in his prime — ranking only a few spots ahead of VanVleet. Thus, where VanVleet ranks among point guards isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison to Green among shooting guards.

Furthermore, it’s not as if the rebuilding Rockets signed VanVleet with immediate expectations of championship contention. The hope is VanVleet’s commitment to defense and his tough, hard-nosed approach will offer leadership and intangible benefits to help the development of Houston’s prospects at other positions.

The complete list of top 2023-24 point guards can be read here.

[lawrence-related id=115391,115252,115186]

Where Jalen Green ranks in NBA’s top shooting guards for 2023-24 season

Third-year #Rockets guard Jalen Green checks in at No. 11 on a new @HoopsHype ranking of the NBA’s top shooting guards for the 2023-24 season. Here’s a look at the complete list.

[anyclip pubname=”2123″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8170″]

Though he led Houston in scoring at 22.1 points per game, young Rockets guard Jalen Green wasn’t particularly efficient in his second NBA season. The No. 2 draft pick from the 2021 first round shot 41.6% from the field and 33.8% on 3-pointers in 2022-23, and his true-shooting percentage was a relatively pedestrian 53.8%.

Then again, there were clear extenuating circumstances. Head coach Stephen Silas was let go after Houston finished with the NBA’s second-worst record (22-60). The talent around Green was largely young and inexperienced, particularly after trading Christian Wood last offseason and Eric Gordon at the trade deadline.

This offseason, the context has changed. Ime Udoka, who led Boston to the 2022 NBA Finals, is in as head coach, and the Rockets added accomplished veterans Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and Jeff Green in free agency. That superior infrastructure, along with the typical development curve for young players, should put Green in a better spot to succeed in the 2023-24 season.

Count Frank Urbina of HoopsHype as one of the believers. In a new ranking of the league’s top shooting guards for the 2023-24 season, Green checks in at No. 11 overall. Here’s the explanation as to why:

If there’s one thing we have learned two years into Jalen Green’s career, it’s that the explosive 2-guard can score, albeit not that efficiently. Through two seasons, Green is shooting 42% from the floor and 33.8% from beyond the arc. He did improve his swing rating last season, going from a minus-6.7 his rookie year to minus-1.8 in 2022-23.

Regardless, we’re going to judge Green in 2023-24 with a completely blank slate, hence his place in this ranking. For the first time, not only will he have an elite head coach in Ime Udoka, but he’ll also have a far better supporting cast than any he’s had so far during his time with the Rockets. So, we expect the best season of Green’s career in 2023-24 — not just the flashes of brilliance, but consistent impactful play becoming of a former No. 2 overall pick.

In short, while Green’s NBA production to date isn’t worthy of a borderline top-10 ranking among shooting guards, there are legitimate reasons to think it could be in the very near future.

The rest of the top shooting guards list can be accessed here. Not surprisingly, the list is led by Phoenix guard Devin Booker.

[lawrence-related id=115811,115608]

Rockets sign NBA veteran Jeff Green to one-year, $6-million contract

With a need for veteran leadership and frontcourt help, the #Rockets are signing NBA champion Jeff Green to a one-year, $6-million contract. @MikeAScotto was first with the news.

[anyclip pubname=”2123″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8169″]

With a need for veterans across the board and especially in the frontcourt after missing on Brook Lopez, the Houston Rockets signed veteran forward Jeff Green to a one-year, $6-million deal on Saturday night. It was first reported by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.

Green, 36, played last season as a backup for the NBA champion Denver Nuggets. The 6-foot-8 forward/center averaged 7.8 points (48.8% FG), 2.6 rebounds and 19.5 minutes. He was particularly well regarded for his leadership and locker-room presence.

Green played for the Rockets during the 2019-20 season under Mike D’Antoni. Functioning largely as a small-ball center after the Clint Capela trade, Green averaged 12.2 points (56.4% FG, 35.4% on 3-pointers), 2.9 rebounds and 22.6 minutes per game.

Green joins newly signed center Jock Landale as Houston’s backup options behind third-year incumbent starter Alperen Sengun. Green may also figure into the power forward mix behind Jabari Smith Jr., a highly drafted second-year prospect.

[lawrence-related id=114957,114980]