For more than 10 years, Spanish guard Sergio Llull has resisted the temptation to move to the NBA. But even at 32 years old, the Rockets still aren’t giving up hope of bringing him to Houston.
The Rockets first acquired Llull’s NBA rights during the 2009 NBA Draft. They nearly lured him to Houston in July 2015, but Spaniard opted to stay home and play for Real Madrid, where he’s still considered by some to be the best international player not in the NBA.
In a new interview with Bleacher Report, Marko Radovanovic — director of global scouting for the Rockets — says Houston still checks in with Llull.
Still, Radovanovic believes there’s a place for the veteran in Houston, which checks in with Llull regularly to see if he’s changed his mind. “At this point, it would have to be more of a role-player deal,” Radovanovic says. “Like a Pablo Prigioni-type deal. Sergio is 32 and making good money over there, but we would love to have him carve out a role.”
Luka Doncic has learned from him. The Houston Rockets have chased him. And the NBA has been left waiting for him. So why hasn't Spanish hoops star Sergio Llull felt the desire to play in the States? My story, for @BleacherReport #BRMag:https://t.co/H3un1UAnvN
— matt foley ☁ (@mattyfoles) February 25, 2020
Prigioni made his NBA debut at 35 years old during the 2012-13 season. Two years later, he was a member of the Rockets late in the 2014-15 campaign and during the 2015 NBA playoffs.
In theory, Llull wouldn’t have to wait that long. His contract with Real Madrid expires in 2021, though the buyout figure reportedly isn’t too big, if Houston wanted to engage in talks earlier. In an interview last spring, Rockets GM Daryl Morey didn’t rule out the possibility.
Morey on Sergio Llull: "A lot of the great international players came over at Sergio’s age or later. We’re here with open arms when he wants to do it. He’s got a lot to accomplish there and here, so we’ll see."#Rockets @23Llull @dmorey @BimaThug https://t.co/frO0laa3PD
— Chris A. White 🐻 (@fyrebear) April 11, 2019
Llull is averaging 9.9 points in 19.4 minutes per game this season. According to Radovanovic, even at 32 years old and after sustaining a torn ACL in 2017, Houston still sees Llull as a potential fit:
Llull is a perfect fit for our system. He speeds up the game; he sparks up the entire team. Obviously, some things have changed. But our philosophy is to never give up. He could carve out a role. He would be a great spark off the bench.
I went back to Madrid to learn more about the Madrid legend, and find out if we'll ever see Sergio Llull in the NBA.https://t.co/H3un1UAnvN
— matt foley ☁ (@mattyfoles) February 25, 2020
In an interview last summer with Diario AS, Llull addressed the subject of a potential move to the NBA.
Llull said (as translated by Eurohoops.net):
I am not closing the door. I actually appreciate [the] Houston Rockets’ interest every year and also the fact they respect my decision, because they have never pressured me. They are always nice to me, accepting my wishes.
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At the moment, there wouldn’t seem to be much of a role for Llull with the Rockets, since established guards James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Eric Gordon are all under contract for at least two more seasons after the current 2019-20 league year. Reserve guard Ben McLemore is under team control for the 2020-21 campaign, as well.
Nonetheless, rosters can change quickly in the NBA, and it seems Morey isn’t completely writing off Llull as an option moving forward.