After previously reaching deals with Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, Houston’s busy start to 2023 free agency continued with a trade for veteran Brooklyn guard Patty Mills and the signing of third-year big man Jock Landale, mostly recently of Phoenix.
The trade for Mills, who is well regarded for his perimeter shooting and leadership, was first reported by The Athletic. Now 34 years old, the 6-foot-1 guard has averaged 9.0 points (38.9% on 3-pointers) in 20.4 minutes per game over 14 NBA seasons.
Several of those seasons were spent alongside Ime Udoka, who was an assistant for seven years with the Spurs. Both Udoka and Mills were part of San Antonio’s 2014 championship team.
Mills is owed $6.8 million next season, and he is an expiring contract. However, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic, Mills could ultimately be moved yet again as part of a complicated sign-and-trade involving the Memphis Grizzlies and newly acquired wing Dillon Brooks.
Houston will receive a second-round draft pick from the Nets for the initial Mills trade, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
As for Landale, he averaged 6.6 points (52.8% FG) and 4.1 rebounds in 14.2 minutes per game last season. The 6-foot-11 big man, now 27 years old, played with the Spurs in 2021-22 before moving to the Suns for 2022-23. Landale could be part of Houston’s plans to provide a backup to Alperen Sengun with more defensive abilities.
The Rockets were hopeful of landing Brook Lopez from Milwaukee for that role, but he ultimately chose to return to the Bucks.
Here’s a look at immediate reaction to the two deals. Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Landale signed a four-year, $32-million contract with Houston, but only the first season is guaranteed.