Tag: 2020 NBA Free Agency

Rockets announce signing of four-time All-Star DeMarcus Cousins

Cousins is one of only 11 players in NBA history with career averages of at least 20.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.

With training camp for the 2020-21 season set to begin in Houston and other NBA cities, the Rockets on Tuesday officially announced the much-anticipated addition of four-time All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins.

Now 30 years old, Cousins is on a one-year, non-guaranteed contract as he works to prove his health after a series of major leg injuries. He only played in 30 regular-season games over the last two years, combined.

If he’s finally healthy, though, Cousins’ career production could make that deal a major bargain for the Rockets. From the team’s press release:

Cousins (6-10, 270) was originally the fifth overall pick by Sacramento in the 2010 NBA Draft. The four-time All-Star appeared in 565 career games with 543 starts while averaging 21.2 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.42 steals, and 1.23 blocks. Cousins earned All-NBA Second Team honors in both 2014-15 and 2015-16.

He is one of 11 players in NBA history with career averages of at least 20.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, and 3.0 apg. Since steals and blocks became an official statistic in 1973-74, Hall of Famer Bob Lanier is the only other player with career averages of at least 20.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.00 spg, and 1.00 bpg (Lanier played three seasons prior to steals and blocks being tracked).

Cousins last played for Golden State during the 2019 NBA Finals and averaged 16.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.3 spg, 1.5 bpg in 25.7 mpg for the Warriors in the 2018-19 regular season. He is the only player in NBA history to have averaged at least 15.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, and 3.0 apg in fewer than 27.0 mpg in a single season.

When group work at training camp begins on Sunday, Dec. 6, Cousins should initially slide in as Houston’s backup center to Christian Wood. But if Cousins proves to be healthy — and early indications seem to be positive — there is clearly room for his role with the Rockets to grow.

[lawrence-related id=41140,40816]

Report: Rockets signing veteran guard Jerian Grant for one season

Over five NBA seasons, Grant has averaged 6.1 points and 2.9 assists in 17.9 minutes per game. He was a first-round pick in the 2015 draft.

The Houston Rockets are signing veteran guard Jerian Grant to a one-year contract, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

Grant was the No. 19 overall pick in the 2015 draft after playing four seasons in college at Notre Dame. Now 28 years old, the 6-foot-4 guard has averaged 6.1 points (32.3% on 3-pointers) and 2.9 assists in 17.9 minutes per game over his five seasons to date in the NBA.

Grant’s 2019-20 season was limited to just six games. In two of his last three years with a larger sample, he shot 36.4% and 36.6% on 3-pointers.

Grant has plenty of family connections to the NBA, per Feigen:

Grant’s brother, Jerami, signed with the Pistons last week after a breakthrough season with the Nuggets. They are the son of former NBA player Harvey Grant and nephews of former Bulls and Magic star Horace Grant.

The Rockets will be Grant’s fifth NBA franchise, joining the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, and Washington Wizards.

In Houston, Grant will attempt to earn a roster spot with a strong showing in the team’s upcoming training camp for the 2020-21 season. The team’s hope is for Grant to potentially replace Austin Rivers as a reserve guard behind All-Star starters Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Like Rivers, Grant should bring capable ball-handling ability and defensive length to the role, along with a solid (but not great) shot from 3-point range.

Financial terms of the one-year contract were not disclosed, but with the Rockets subject to a hard salary cap after the sign-and-trade acquisition of Christian Wood, it’s almost certainly a veteran’s minimum salary. The question is how much money (if any) in the deal is guaranteed.

[lawrence-related id=41004,40743]

Native Houstonian Gerald Green rejoins Rockets on non-guaranteed deal

In two seasons with the Rockets from 2017 through 2019, Green averaged 10.3 points (36.0% on 3-pointers) in 21.1 minutes per game.

After missing a season due to injury, native Houstonian and bench spark plug Gerald Green is back with the Houston Rockets — at least for now.

Per Tim MacMahon of ESPN, Green is signing a one-year, non-guaranteed contract at the veteran’s minimum salary. “Green will try to make the team during camp after missing last season due to a broken foot,” MacMahon tweeted. Training camp begins on Tuesday, Dec. 1 in Houston.

Known best for his 3-point shooting, Green hasn’t played in the NBA since fracturing his foot last preseason. The 34-year-old fan favorite had season-ending surgery in October 2019, and he was traded for salary reasons in the February swap that brought in Robert Covington.

In two seasons with his hometown team from 2017 through 2019, the 6-foot-6 reserve swingman averaged 10.3 points (36.0% on 3-pointers) in 21.1 minutes per game, and he was also a respected veteran voice in the locker room. Among rotation players last season, only Ben McLemore (40.0%) and Danuel House Jr. (36.3%) shot a higher 3-point clip.

It will be about 14 months between Green’s foot surgery and when the 2020-21 NBA season begins in late December, so he is expected to be fully healthy. If that’s the case, Green could earn a roster spot as another bench shooting option for new Rockets head coach Stephen Silas.

[lawrence-related id=40887,39074]

Rockets announce signings of big man Bruno Caboclo, three others

In Thursday’s release, Houston also confirmed its contracts with Jae’Sean Tate, Sterling Brown, and a two-way deal with rookie Mason Jones.

A day after Bruno Caboclo said he had a contract offer from the Houston Rockets, the 25-year-old big man has officially signed it.

“Caboclo (6-9, 218) was originally acquired via trade from Memphis on Feb. 6, 2020 and appeared in eight games for the Rockets over the remainder of the season,” the team said in its announcement. “The Brazilian native was the 20th overall pick by Toronto in the 2014 NBA Draft and has appeared in 99 career games. In 2018-19, Caboclo averaged career-highs of 8.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists for the Grizzlies.”

Financial terms weren’t disclosed by the team, but Caboclo said Wednesday that the contract was for two years at the NBA’s minimum salary, with the second (for the 2021-22 season) as a team option.

Caboclo, who is 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-7 wingspan, played only sparingly after being acquired by Houston at the February trade deadline. The athletic big man was also limited by a knee injury upon his arrival.

However, the Rockets did express optimism about his long-term future, and Caboclo could have a better opportunity to make an impact by being with the team at the outset of training camp. Caboclo should slot into the 2020-21 depth chart as a backup option in the frontcourt behind veterans such as Christian Wood, P.J. Tucker, and DeMarcus Cousins.

Caboclo shot 36.9% on 3-pointers in the 2018-19 season, and that form could make him useful as a “stretch big” in the five-out offense desired by new Houston coach Stephen Silas.

In addition to the signing of Caboclo, the Rockets also formalized their recent contract agreements with guard Sterling Brown, forward Jae’Sean Tate, and rookie guard Mason Jones (on a two-way deal).

As of midday Thursday, Cousins was the only remaining acquisition whose free agency agreement with the Rockets had yet to be made official. With training camp for the 2020-21 season set to begin next Tuesday, Dec. 1, all agreements should be finalized in relatively short order.

[lawrence-related id=40914,40853]

Report: Rockets among five teams interested in Glenn Robinson III

Robinson has drawn interest from the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets, and Utah Jazz, per HoopsHype.

The Houston Rockets are among several NBA teams to have shown interest in 26-year-old forward Glenn Robinson III, according to a new report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Other teams to have shown interest include the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets, and Utah Jazz, per Scotto.

Here’s how Scotto describes the market for Robinson, whose father (Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson) was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1994 draft.

Robinson III, 26, is entering his prime and is considered a 3-and-D wing around the league. The 6-foot-6 forward averaged 11.7 points on 48.6 percent shooting from the field and 39.1 percent shooting from downtown in 62 games played last season. He started all 48 games played for the Golden State Warriors before being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Rockets are subject to a hard salary cap after the sign-and-trade acquisition of Christian Wood, so they are very limited with regards to roster spots and what they can financially offer.

It also remains to be seen whether Houston can offer the 6-foot-6 forward a clear path to playing time, following the signings of guard Sterling Brown and forward Jae’Sean Tate. Scotto didn’t specify when the Rockets had shown interest, so it’s possible that Houston had reached out to Robinson prior to their agreements Sunday with Tate and Brown.

Nonetheless, their reported interest means a deal can’t be ruled out, especially with Robinson lingering on the free agent marketplace.

[lawrence-related id=40653,40709]

Bruno Caboclo has contract offer from Rockets, plans to sign it soon

The 25-year-old big man says the contract offer is for two years at the NBA’s minimum salary, with the second season a team option.

The Houston Rockets have offered a two-year contract at the NBA’s minimum salary to 25-year-old big man Bruno Caboclo, and he plans to sign it in short order, he told Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston.

The second year of the offer is a team option. With the Rockets subject to a hard salary cap after the sign-and-trade acquisition of Christian Wood, the minimum bid is the best they can reasonably do.

“It means that they trust me, and I feel good about it,” Caboclo said of the team’s offer. “Since I got here, I’ve felt at home. Everybody treats me well. They always push me. We work hard every day, and I like that.”

Caboclo, who is 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-7 wingspan, played only sparingly after being acquired by Houston at the February trade deadline. The athletic big man was also limited by a knee injury upon his arrival.

However, the Rockets did express optimism about Caboclo’s long-term future, and he could have a better opportunity to make an impact if he’s with the team from the outset of training camp. Assuming he is re-signed, Caboclo could be a viable backup option at power forward and center behind veterans such as Wood, P.J. Tucker, and DeMarcus Cousins.

Caboclo said the first year of his new contract would be guaranteed after Tuesday, Dec. 1, which is the opening day of training camp for the 2020-21 season. “I didn’t sign the papers yet, but hopefully soon,” he said.

After being selected No. 20 overall in the 2014 NBA Draft, Caboclo finally got his first extended opportunity in 34 games with Memphis late in the 2018-19 season. In that stretch, Caboclo averaged 8.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game, and he shot 36.9% on 3-pointers.

Once the Rockets re-sign Caboclo, which seems imminent, that’s the form they hope he recaptures for the upcoming 2020-21 season.

[lawrence-related id=40853,24503]

Christian Wood cites good relationship with Rockets star James Harden

New center Christian Wood spoke with Houston media members on Wednesday afternoon for the first time since joining the Rockets.

For many around the NBA, it may have come as a surprise to see young center Christian Wood commit to the Houston Rockets in free agency, given the team’s apparent lack of stability in recent weeks.

Longtime GM Daryl Morey and head coach Mike D’Antoni were replaced by Rafael Stone and Stephen Silas, respectively, with each beginning their first NBA stint in that lead position. Moreover, both members of the team’s All-Star backcourt of recent league MVPs — James Harden and Russell Westbrook — reportedly issued trade requests.

But inside of the building at Toyota Center, it may not be quite as concerning as it’s been portrayed by some outsiders in the media. At an introductory press conference on Wednesday, Wood told reporters that he already has a “good relationship” with Harden and believes he can do “great things” with Harden in the pick-and-roll game in Houston.

Among Wood’s comments:

I bring my ability to space the floor. I can put the ball on the floor. I can drive. I think I finish with the best of them in the league. I think I can shoot with the best of them in the league. With James’ ability to knock down shots and score at a high rate, I think I could be a good second option for them.

I played a few pickup games with James. I kind of got a good relationship with him. That’s about it. Also Ben McLemore.”

Having shot 38.6% from 3-point range last season, Wood should be effective for Harden and the Rockets in “pick and pop” scenarios, too.

An athletic 6-foot-10 big man with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, Wood averaged 13.1 points (56.7% FG, 38.6% on 3-pointers) and 6.3 rebounds in 21.4 minutes per game in Detroit last season. He is only 25 years old, which gives Houston — one of the NBA’s oldest teams last season — both a short-term frontcourt upgrade and a key building block for future years.

Perhaps the best part is that Wood might not be done improving. After the Pistons traded starting center Andre Drummond in early February, Wood took advantage of a larger role by averaging 22.3 points (56.2% FG, 41.0% on 3-pointers) and 9.5 rebounds in 34.1 minutes per game over the remaining 15 games of Detroit’s 2019-20 season. That’s the form Wood wants to hold, now that he’s joining forces with Harden and Westbrook.

As for recent drama involving the alleged trade requests by those stars, Wood said it was “no concern” to him in his decision to join Houston.

“I’m appreciative and happy to be a part of the Houston Rockets,” Wood said on Wednesday afternoon. “Rafael Stone has done a great job of bringing me in, and I’m excited to join the organization.”

[lawrence-related id=40873,40701]

Rockets GM Rafael Stone lauds ‘unique’ skills of Christian Wood

“He’s just a very talented basketball player that can do things at his size that very few people can,” Stone told the Houston Chronicle.

At 6-foot-10 and 223 pounds, new Houston center Christian Wood is tall and agile enough to finish well near the basket, especially in the pick-and-roll game as a potential roll man for superstar guard James Harden.

Yet, having shot 38.6% from 3-point range last season, he should be effective for Harden and the Rockets in “pick and pop” scenarios, too.

That combination of size, athleticism, and skill makes Wood very unique, per new Rockets GM Rafael Stone. Wood is Stone’s first major acquisition since taking Houston’s lead basketball operations job in late October.

Here’s what Stone told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle about his new center, shortly after the acquisition was made official:

His skills, his talent — I think he’s just a very talented basketball player that can do things at his size that very few people can. He can stretch [defenses]. He can attack off the dribble. He can make a play for others. And he can finish at the rim. That’s a unique combo. …

He can pop and he can pick-and-roll. That’s what makes him unique. Very few guys can do that.

In Tuesday evening’s official announcement, which included a highlight video, here’s how the Rockets described the Wood acquisition:

Wood was eligible for the 2015 NBA Draft following his sophomore season at UNLV.  The 25-year-old finished eighth in voting for the Most Improved Player award in 2019-20 while averaging 13.1 points and 6.3 rebounds in 62 games for Detroit.

Over his final 22 games played last season, Wood averaged 19.7 ppg and 8.1 rpg while shooting 56.0% from the floor, 40.3% from 3-point range, and 77.4% from the foul line.  For the season, he joined Enes Kanter (2016-17) as the only players in league history to have averaged at least 13.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg in fewer than 22.0 mpg in a single season.

Training camp for the 2020-21 NBA season begins next Tuesday, Dec. 1, at Toyota Center in downtown Houston. The integration of Wood, who is expected to be the Rockets’ starting center, will be a key storyline.

[lawrence-related id=40860,40701]

Report: Rockets would like to retain big man Bruno Caboclo

“The Athletic understands that the organization is invested in him and would like to have him going forward,” Kelly Iko writes.

The Houston Rockets hope to retain 25-year-old big man Bruno Caboclo, according to a new report from Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

“The Athletic understands that the organization is invested in him and would like to have him going forward,” Iko writes.

With the Rockets subject to a hard salary cap after the sign-and-trade acquisition of Christian Wood, they are presumably unable to offer Caboclo more than the NBA’s minimum salary. Thus, it makes sense for Caboclo to take his time with free agency, in hopes of seeing if any larger offers materialize (or ones with an easier path to playing time) before settling for a minimum deal as an end-of-the-bench option in Houston.

Caboclo, who is 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-7 wingspan, played only sparingly after being acquired by Houston at the February trade deadline. The athletic big man was also limited by a knee injury upon his arrival.

However, the Rockets did express optimism about Caboclo’s long-term future, and he could have a better opportunity to make an impact if he’s with the team from the outset of training camp. If re-signed, Caboclo could be a viable backup option at power forward and center behind veterans such as Wood, P.J. Tucker, and DeMarcus Cousins.

After being selected No. 20 overall in the 2014 NBA Draft, Caboclo finally got his first extended opportunity in 34 games with Memphis late in the 2018-19 season. In that stretch, Caboclo averaged 8.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game, and he shot 36.9% on 3-pointers.

Should the Rockets re-sign Caboclo, that’s the form they hope he recaptures for the upcoming 2020-21 season.

[lawrence-related id=30443,24503]

Gerald Green hoping to return to Rockets: ‘I’ll die for this city’

“It’s my city,” Green told Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston. “Not just the Rockets, but this whole city means everything to me.”

With the Houston Rockets subject to a hard salary cap following the recent sign-and-trade acquisition of big man Christian Wood, roster spots are at a premium for new GM Rafael Stone. Every dollar matters.

So, who might the candidates be?

Veteran NBA guard and native Houstonian Gerald Green, who played with the Rockets from 2017 through 2019, made it clear Tuesday night that he would happily accept one of those remaining spots, if offered.

Here’s what Green told Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston:

Everybody knows how much I feel about this city, and what this city feels for me. For me, if I come back again… I’m going to have the same feeling I did when I came back in 2017.

It means everything to me. It’s my hometown. It’s my city. Not just the Rockets, but this whole city means everything to me. I said this once and I’ll say it again, I’ll die for this city.

As one example, months before Green signed with the Rockets in December 2017, he was actively involved in local Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts during and after the devastation that August.

Known best for his 3-point shooting, Green hasn’t played in the NBA since fracturing his foot last preseason. The 34-year-old fan favorite had season-ending surgery in October 2019, and he was traded for salary reasons in the February swap that brought in Robert Covington.

In two seasons with his hometown team from 2017 through 2019, the 6-foot-6 reserve swingman averaged 10.3 points (36.0% on 3-pointers) in 21.1 minutes per game, and he was also a respected veteran voice in the locker room. Among rotation players last season, only Ben McLemore (40.0%) and Danuel House Jr. (36.3%) shot a higher 3-point clip.

It will be about 14 months between Green’s foot surgery and when the 2020-21 NBA season begins in late December, and Green told Berman on Tuesday that he’s feeling great, physically. As such, the ball is now in Stone’s court to decide whether Green is the right fit for the roster.

[lawrence-related id=39074,31829]