Rockets reportedly made push for DeAndre Jordan at trade deadline

The Rockets reportedly went after DeAndre Jordan at the trade deadline. What might that tell us about their strategies with buyouts?

Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey has indicated that the team’s strategy with regards to options on the NBA’s buyout market is targeting the best player available, regardless of position fit.

However, the team’s reported pursuit of Brooklyn center DeAndre Jordan might indicate a more narrow focus.

Here’s how ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski described Houston’s interest in the 6-foot-11 big man leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline:

The Rockets tried to engage the Nets on DeAndre Jordan, their center, when they were working on that four-team, 12-player trade that landed them Robert Covington and moved Clint Capela out.

They had a window, once that trade was agreed to, of about 24 hours where they could have added up to $12 million in salary. Their owner, Tilman Fertitta, had okayed that. Now, Brooklyn wasn’t interest in moving Jordan. But it shows you, they would certainly like to have some more size around.

[lawrence-related id=23994,24315,23918]

Now 31 years old and a native Houstonian, Jordan is averaging 8.0 points (67.3% shooting) and 9.7 rebounds in 21.1 minutes per game this season.

What could be most interesting about the reported Jordan pursuit is his contract. He’s making nearly $10 million this season, which would have easily pushed the Rockets into the luxury tax.

In the short-term, this would seem to confirm the recent report that owner Tilman Fertitta had indeed given Morey the green light to spend into tax territory on the team’s payroll.

[lawrence-related id=24345]

With Jordan backing up young center Jarrett Allen in Brooklyn, it’s understandable why teams around the league — like the Rockets — may have wondered if Jordan was available. On the surface, it’s a slightly odd allocation of salary resources, since most NBA teams don’t have backup centers making roughly $10 million each season.

At one point on Wednesday, The Athletic‘s Kelly Iko reported that Houston believed it was closing in on a deal for an Eastern Conference center. That description certainly could apply to Jordan.

In the end, the Nets opted to stay the course, and perhaps Jordan’s friendship with franchise centerpiece Kevin Durant was a big reason.

But it’s the longer-term implications that could be even more telling. Jordan is signed for three additional seasons after the current 2019-20 campaign, which means he wouldn’t have been a short-term rental or experiment for the Rockets.

They would have had to believe in Jordan’s fit and/or expected him to address a major need, which could be the center position after the trade of 6-foot-10 big man Clint Capela.

As of Sunday morning, the Rockets had yet to be formally linked to any of the players receiving contract buyouts to this point. Forwards Marvin Williams and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist each received buyouts from the Hornets, but Williams is bound for Milwaukee, and the only confirmed suitor for Kidd-Gilchrist at this time is Dallas.

At the moment, the Rockets have two open roster spots after their deadline trades. They also have more money to offer bought-out players than most other contenders, including both the Bucks and Mavericks.

It’s certainly possible that the Rockets showed interest in one or both players, only to have them choose a different destination, instead. (That said, any interest hasn’t been reported since Thursday’s deadline.)

It could also be that despite their public statements about seeking the best player available, perhaps behind closed doors there’s a greater focus on a more traditional center, like Jordan would have been.

On HoopsHype‘s initial list of 2020 buyout candidates, Charlotte’s Bismack Biyombo could fit the bill. The 27-year-old big man is averaging 7.4 points (53.4% shooting) and 5.8 rebounds in 19.1 minutes per game with the Hornets this season.

Perhaps the Rockets are hoping that a buyout eventually happens between Cleveland and Tristan Thompson, who the Rockets reportedly showed interest in leading up to Thursday’s deadline. While initial reports have indicated that a buyout there is unlikely, it’s possible that one or both sides could change their minds before March 1.

March 1 is the date by which players must be waived from their old teams in order to be playoff eligible with a new team.

[lawrence-related id=24134]

Other bigs with expiring deals on losing teams who theoretically could emerge as buyout options include Washington’s Ian Mahinmi, Detroit’s John Henson, Phoenix’s Aron Baynes, and Sacramento’s Alex Len.

The NBA’s All-Star break begins in the middle of this week, which could be the sweet spot in the schedule for financial negotiations to take place. From there, the buyout candidates might become more clear.

For now, the Rockets wait with two open roster spots and a rotation that’s currently devoid of traditional size up front. It doesn’t guarantee that they will address that issue in the buyout market, but a closer look at their actions in recent days suggests that it’s a real possibility.

[lawrence-related id=24287]