Tag: David Nwaba

Rockets veterans Daniel Theis, David Nwaba, DJ Augustin reportedly drawing trade interest

Rockets veterans Daniel Theis, David Nwaba, and DJ Augustin (to a lesser extent) are drawing trade interest ahead of the Feb. 10 deadline, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

As the 2021-22 NBA season has progressed, the Houston Rockets have increasingly boosted the playing time of younger players as part of their rebuilding push. For the time being, that has pushed veterans like Daniel Theis, David Nwaba, and DJ Augustin out of the rotation.

That does not mean, however, that those players would not have value elsewhere. Kelly Iko of The Athletic reports:

It’s more likely Houston does a smaller-scale deal around the margins prior to the trade deadline. Teams have expressed interest in acquiring veterans Daniel Theis and David Nwaba ahead of the Feb. 10 deadline, sources tell The Athletic. With the Rockets having their full roster healthy, both Theis and Nwaba have been on the outside looking in on head coach Stephen Silas’ rotation. Both players have value to older, more established teams looking for deep playoff runs, something Houston can’t offer at this juncture. There has also been some interest in backup point guard DJ Augustin, sources tell The Athletic, albeit to a lesser degree.

All three players are on reasonable contracts, which can be matched by many teams in hypothetical trades. Theis has a guaranteed deal through the 2023-24 season at an average of about $8.7 million per season, while Nwaba is owed just under $5 million for this season and next.

Augustin, who is more of a defensive liability than the other two but a superior 3-point shooter, is owed $7 million this season and has an extremely miniscule guarantee of approximately $300,000 for the 2022-23 season — effectively making him an expiring contract.

Theis and Nwaba are 29 years old, while Augustin is 34. Between the limited upside associated with those ages and the fact that all three players are currently out of Houston’s rotation, the potential trade return for any or all of them is not likely to be significant.

Nonetheless, since Houston has already traded away its 2022 and 2023 second-round draft picks, the opportunity to potentially recoup one of those assets could tempt general manager Rafael Stone. If not traded, Augustin would seem to be a potential candidate to have his contract bought out, since he’s basically in the final year of his deal.

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Trade deadline data: Houston Rockets player salaries for 2021-22, future seasons

With the Feb. 10 trade deadline rapidly approaching, here’s an updated look at who the Houston Rockets have on their salary books — and for how long.

With the Feb. 10 trade deadline for the 2021-22 NBA season rapidly approaching, here’s an updated look at who Houston has on its salary books. This list includes recent signings such as Trevelin Queen and no longer includes Danuel House Jr., who was waived in December.

As of Jan. 15, Garrison Mathews is the only player on the Rockets who is not eligible to be traded by the deadline. That’s because his new standard contract was not signed until late December.

As a result, general manager Rafael Stone heads into the deadline period with substantial flexibility. With the Rockets in the middle of a clear rebuilding program, they’re in a clear spot where veterans like Eric Gordon, Daniel Theis, David Nwaba, and perhaps even John Wall could be sent elsewhere to teams with more of a win-now emphasis.

Courtesy of the HoopsHype salary database, here’s a look at who Stone has on Houston’s books entering the Feb. 10 trade deadline. This list is sorted by annual salary, ranging from the most to the least.

Since nearly all NBA teams or at or above the salary cap during the season, teams have to send out close to much money in deadline trades as they take in, owing to the league’s collective bargaining agreement.

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David Nwaba, Armoni Brooks join Rockets’ list of trade eligible players

With David Nwaba and Armoni Brooks trade eligible, the only Houston player who cannot be traded ahead of the Feb. 10 deadline is Garrison Mathews.

With Jan. 15 having passed, reserve wings Armoni Brooks and David Nwaba are eligible to be traded by the Rockets.

Brooks could not be traded for three months after signing his latest contract, which he did in mid-October. Meanwhile, Nwaba could not be dealt until Jan. 15 based on salary cap rules related to the terms of his new contract with the Rockets, which he signed in the 2021 offseason.

Spotrac’s Keith Smith explains:

When a player is re-signed using Bird or Early Bird rights to a contract that is 20% or greater than their previous deal AND their team is over the cap, those players can’t be traded until January 15. This is because those contracts tie to Base Year Compensation (BYC) rules, which impact how a BYC player’s salary works in trade. In effect, it’s an additional blocker that keeps teams from re-signing and player and immediately trading them.

Now 29 years old, Nwaba is averaging 5.4 points (47.5% FG) and 3.9 rebounds in 14.2 minutes this season. He’s a valuable and versatile defensive player. Given the combination of his age, the clear rebuilding plan in place with the Rockets, and his fairly reasonable contract, it shouldn’t come as a shock if teams needing wing defense inquire about Nwaba’s availability.

An athletic 6-foot-5 wing player, Nwaba will earn $4.7 million in 2021-22 and $5.0 million in the 2022-23 season. His contract also includes a team option for the 2023-24 season at $5.4 million.

The only player on Houston’s current roster who cannot be traded is Garrison Mathews, since he did not sign his new contract until December.

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Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green make strong returns in Rockets’ close loss to Lakers

The Rockets lost a competitive game Tuesday to LeBron James and the Lakers, but there was a lot to like with the returns of Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green. Here’s some of the key takeaways.

After each missed Monday’s game and most of December with leg injuries, Houston’s young backcourt of Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green made a wildly successful return on Tuesday versus the Los Angeles Lakers. But thanks to a masterpiece by NBA legend LeBron James, it still wasn’t enough to secure a win for the Rockets at Toyota Center.

James led the way with a game-high 32 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds, dragging his Lakers to a 132-123 win (box score). Former Rockets Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook scored 24 points apiece, including a combined 6-of-10 performance (60.0%) on 3-pointers.

Nonetheless, even on a night where Los Angeles (17-18) shot over 50% from the field and 40% from 3-point range, the Rockets (10-25) more than held their own thanks to their backcourt of rising stars.

Green tallied a team-high 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting (50.0%), including 4-of-9 from 3-point range, (44.4%), and he scored 14 of those 24 in a dominant fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Porter added 22 points and 9 assists, helped by a 5-of-9 showing on 3-pointers (55.6%).

The Rockets briefly took a 118-117 lead with 2:38 left in the fourth quarter when Green scored on a driving layup courtesy of a James goaltend. But the bucket was wiped away after a controversial replay review overturned the goaltend, and Anthony buried a dagger 3-pointer on the other end to extend the Los Angeles lead to two possessions.

Houston struggled defensively all night, likely due in part to the absence of four rotation players (including defensive ace Jae’Sean Tate) to health and safety protocols. With Los Angeles missing Anthony Davis due to injury and playing agile, floor-spacing lineups with James at center, the Rockets struggled to keep up with off-ball actions. David Nwaba had 7 rebounds and 4 blocks and defended James well individually, but younger Rockets were often caught ball-watching or lost in their rotations, which allowed James to frequently find shooters or cutters.

Nonetheless, the Rockets hung in with the veteran-laden Lakers thanks to a sparkling performance of their own on offense. They shot 53.0% from the field and 16-of-35 on 3-pointers (45.7%), allowing them to overcome some of those defensive miscues. In addition to Green and Porter, other Houston players who scored in double-figures included:

  • Christian Wood: 22 points, 8-of-12 shooting (66.7%), 3-of-4 on 3-pointers (75.0%), 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals in 33 minutes
  • Eric Gordon: 13 points, 5-of-6 shooting (83.3%), 2-of-2 on 3-pointers, 3 assists, 3 rebounds in 33 minutes
  • Armoni Brooks: 11 points, 3-of-9 shooting (33.3%), 2-of-8 on 3-pointers (25.0%), 2 assists in 25 minutes
  • Josh Christopher: 14 points, 5-of-8 shooting (62.5%), 3 steals, 3 rebounds, 2 assists in 27 minutes
  • Alperen Sengun: 10 points, 5-of-8 shooting (62.5%), 2 rebounds, 1 block in 15 minutes

The Rockets now have two consecutive off days before a weekend back-to-back versus Miami on Friday and Denver on Saturday. Both games are at Toyota Center in Houston. For now, scroll on for highlights and postgame reaction following Tuesday’s fun game versus the Lakers.

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Reaction: Christian Wood returns to Detroit, leads Rockets to big win

Christian Wood returned to Detroit for the first time since leaving, and his new team got the win. Eric Gordon, Garrison Mathews, Josh Christopher, David Nwaba, and KJ Martin also excelled.

Christian Wood scored a team-high 21 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in his first return to Detroit as a player since leaving the Pistons to sign with Houston in 2020 free agency. It helped lead a balanced effort by the Rockets in Saturday’s convincing road win, 116-107 (box score).

For Detroit (4-24), it’s a 14th straight loss. For Houston (10-20), it represents the ninth win in 13 games after shrugging off a woeful 1-16 start. The Rockets were +15 in the 30 minutes that Wood played on Saturday, which was easily the best of any player on either team.

Detroit rookie Cade Cunningham, taken at No. 1 overall in the 2021 NBA draft, led the losing side with 21 points, 11 assists, and 7 rebounds. However, tough defense from the likes of Jae’Sean Tate, Eric Gordon, and Josh Christopher helped limit him to just 8-of-19 shooting. The Rockets led by as many as 20 points, but the Pistons cut the final margin to single digits with a late run in what was effectively garbage time.

Though Wood was the headliner given his return to Detroit, as well as the fact that it represented the big man’s successful return to the court after missing two games with left knee tendinitis, he had lots of help.

With Armoni Brooks out with a sore left ankle, rookie guard Josh Christopher made his first NBA start and played well with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting (2-of-3 on 3-pointers) and a team-high 7 assists. Garrison Mathews also had a big showing in his first game since signing a four-year contract, scoring 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting and 4-of-9 on 3-pointers (44.4%). Mathews recorded 5 rebounds and 3 steals, as well.

In all, each of the nine players in Stephen Silas’ rotation on Saturday scored 8 or more points. Other standouts included:

  • Eric Gordon: 18 points (7-of-11 shooting, 3-of-4 on 3-pointers), 5 assists in 28 minutes
  • Jae’Sean Tate: 11 points (5-of-10 shooting), 4 assists, 4 assists, 3 steals in 28 minutes
  • KJ Martin: 10 points (4-of-7 shooting, 1-of-2 on 3-pointers), 11 rebounds in 28 minutes
  • David Nwaba: 13 points (5-of-9 shooting, 1-of-3 on 3-pointers), 7 rebounds in 17 minutes
  • Alperen Sengun: 9 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks in 22 minutes

See below for highlights and postgame reaction following Saturday’s big win. The Rockets will continue their season-long road trip on Monday at Chicago (17-10), with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CST.

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Reaction: Alperen Sengun has career night as Cavs blast short-handed Rockets

Rookie center Alperen Sengun had the best statistical night (19 points, 11 rebounds) of his NBA career, but the extremely short-handed Rockets were still routed in Cleveland.

The Houston Rockets were without four of their five desired starters (Eric Gordon, Christian Wood, Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green) on Wednesday in Cleveland, and head coach Stephen Silas left early due to dehydration. Meanwhile, the surging Cavaliers entered with eight wins in their last 10 games, and all by dominant double-digit margins.

To no surprise, it all added up to a 124-89 blowout (box score) by the Cavaliers (18-12), who led by 19 points after the first quarter and cruised to an easy win. Rookie big man Alperen Sengun did take advantage of widespread absences on the Rockets (9-19), setting career-highs with 19 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes. The 19-year-old shot an efficient 7-of-14 from the field (50.0%) and also dished out 5 assists.

Darius Garland led the host Cavaliers on Wednesday with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting (63.6%), while backcourt mate Isaac Okoro scored 20 points in just 22 minutes, including 3-of-3 on 3-pointers.

Besides Sengun, other Houston players to score in double figures were:

  • Josh Christopher: 17 points, 4 assists in 27 minutes
  • KJ Martin: 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals in 26 minutes
  • David Nwaba: 11 points, 5 rebounds in 27 minutes
  • Jae’Sean Tate: 12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals in 29 minutes

Houston flew home late Wednesday night for the second half of their back-to-back on Thursday versus New York, with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CST from Toyota Center. Gordon is expected to return for that game, though Wood is not likely to be ready. Green and Porter remain without a projected return timetable. For now, scroll on for highlights and postgame reaction following a brutal loss at Cleveland.

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Rockets reserves excel in fourth quarter to stun the Hawks

“This was a great way for our team to show growth because we were down the whole game,” Gordon said. “Different guys stepped up. D.J. stepped up huge tonight. Even K.J. (Martin) had his moments. Even David Nwaba had his moments. When you have so many guys doing that, you give yourselves a chance to win.”

For three quarters on Monday night at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia the Houston Rockets looked as if they were stuck in a bad dream that had Atlanta Hawks superstar point guard Trae Young as the villain. He left most of the crowd in awe with his array of shots that just continued to fall with ease.

Watching things transpire from the Rockets bench was a player who didn’t know if he would be inserted into the game or not, but he knew that if head coach Stephen Silas called his name, he would be ready.

Forward David Nwaba got that opportunity late in the third quarter when guard Armoni Brooks was removed from the game after having lingering effects from an undisclosed injury that happened in the first half.

Nwaba’s impact was immediately felt as he hit a three-pointer in the closing seconds to help the Rockets pull within 101-88 heading into the fourth quarter.

In the final quarter, it would be the four-year NBA veteran who imposed his will on both ends of the court, but it was his defensive intensity on Trae Young that helped the Rockets defeat the Hawks 132-126. He finished the game with 10 points, six rebounds, and three assists in 11 minutes of action.

Although circumstances dictated that coach Silas put Nwaba in the game, he felt very confident about the situation:

I’ve been talking about putting Dave in the games for like three games. I put him in the last couple games, gave him like five minutes, brought him back out. Armoni (Brooks) was kind of limping around out there. Garrison (Mathews) was struggling a little bit. So, I just threw him out there.

When I put him in, Young wasn’t in the game, but I knew if we needed someone to guard Young, Dave would be an option. So, when Young came back, Dave guarded him and fought.

The Rockets comeback wasn’t just fueled by the energy of Nwaba. Eric Gordon had a season high 32 points and reserve guard D.J.Augustin chipped in with 22 points. Both players combined to go 6 of 7 from three-point range as Houston scored 44 points in the fourth quarter to stun the Hawks.

“This was a great way for our team to show growth because we were down the whole game,” Gordon said. “Different guys stepped up. D.J. stepped up huge tonight. Even K.J. (Martin) had his moments. Even David Nwaba had his moments. When you have so many guys doing that, you give yourselves a chance to win.”

What made this win so important to the Rockets role players such as KJ Martin and rookie Alperen Sengun was the confidence their coach showed in them by leaving the lineup in that had the momentum in the fourth quarter to close out the game.

“We are all capable of closing out games,” said Nwaba. “Whoever is hot, I think coach Silas did a good job of keeping those guys in. We brought us back in the game and he kept us in throughout the fourth quarter.”

Reaction: Eric Gordon, DJ Augustin lead Rockets’ stunning comeback in Atlanta

Despite 41 points from Trae Young and a late 13-point deficit to the Hawks, veterans Eric Gordon and DJ Augustin rallied Houston to a statement win on the road.

The Houston Rockets trailed for nearly all of Monday’s game at Atlanta, were down by 13 points after three quarters, and absorbed an absolute onslaught from All-Star guard Trae Young (41 points, 9 assists).

But thanks to unexpected showings deep off the bench and a strong veteran backcourt duo of Eric Gordon and DJ Augustin, the Rockets outgunned the Hawks in the fourth quarter by an incredible 44-25 margin, leading to a stunning 132-126 win (box score) on the road.

For the young and scrappy Rockets (9-18), it represents their eight win in the team’s last 10 games. For the Hawks (13-14), who made the Eastern Conference finals last season, it’s only their fifth loss in 14 games.

Gordon led the way with a season-high 32 points in 32 minutes, including 5-of-8 on 3-pointers (62.5%). Meanwhile, Augustin added 22 in 23 minutes as a reserve, shooting 6-of-7 (85.7%) on 3-pointers. Houston was +21 in its minutes with Augustin, and -15 in all other minutes. Christian Wood was oddly cold with 12 points on 4-of-13 from the field (30.8% FG) and 0-of-6 on 3-pointers, and head coach Stephen Silas made an unusual call not to play his star big man at all in the fourth quarter.

It was the right call, with reserves like KJ Martin (13 points, 6 rebounds in 27 minutes), Alperen Sengun (11 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists in 25 minutes), and even David Nwaba (10 points, 6 rebounds in 11 minutes) — who has been out of the rotation for weeks — playing key roles late in the game. Jae’Sean Tate added 15 points (3-of-4 on 3-pointers) and 4 assists, giving Houston seven double-figure scorers in a balanced effort.

“Tonight, I just had a gut feeling to roll with the group that brought the energy and was really playing well,” Silas said postgame.

Houston will finish up their three-game road trip with Wednesday’s game at Cleveland, where tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CST. Until then, see below for highlights and more postgame reaction from Atlanta.

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Houston Rockets report card: Player grades from Sunday’s loss at Warriors

Jae’Sean Tate led the Rockets in Sunday’s loss at Golden State with 21 points and 10 rebounds, but Christian Wood scored just 4 points.

The losing streak for the Rockets (1-9) is now at eight consecutive games after Sunday’s loss at Golden State (8-1). Houston closed to within three points midway through the third quarter, but the host Warriors subsequently went on a 15-0 run to put the game out of reach before finishing with a convincing 120-107 victory (box score).

Houston finished its long Western Conference road trip at 0-5, with all five losses to a probable playoff team (Lakers, Suns, Nuggets, Warriors). Jordan Poole led Golden State with 25 points and 5 assists, while two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry scored 20 points on 50% shooting. Jae’Sean Tate paced the Rockets with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

See below for highlights from Sunday’s game, and read on for our assessment of individual Houston performances. Grades are limited to players who had clear rotation minutes, since anything less wouldn’t represent a sufficient enough sample to evaluate. Grades are also decided relative to a player’s average performance — in other words, the standard for Christian Wood is higher than for David Nwaba.

With the long road trip complete, Houston finally returns home to face Detroit on Wednesday night at at Toyota Center. Tipoff for the game between the Rockets and Pistons — which features a showdown of Jalen Green and Cade Cunningham, the top two picks in the 2021 NBA draft — is set for 6:30 p.m. Central, with the game broadcast on ESPN.

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Houston Rockets report card: Player grades from Thursday’s loss at Suns

Kevin Porter Jr. scored a team-high 20 points and the Rockets again played well on the road versus a West power, but it still wasn’t enough to win at Phoenix.

Two nights after an encouraging performance in a close loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles, the Rockets followed it up with another strong road effort versus defending Western Conference champion Phoenix.

Unfortunately, given the tough opponent, it still resulted in a 123-111 loss (box score) for Houston — which dropped its sixth straight to fall to 1-7 on the 2021-22 season. The Suns (4-3) won their third straight game. The Rockets rallied from an 11-point deficit in the early going to take a lead well into the third quarter, but the defending West champs broke the game open with a 14-of-31 showing from 3-point range (45.2%).

Phoenix outscored Houston 67-50 in the second half, including 37-25 in a decisive third quarter. All-Star guard Devin Booker paced the hosts with 27 points and 9 rebounds, while backcourt mate and future Hall of Famer Chris Paul added 13 assists. The Rockets were led by Kevin Porter Jr. (20 points, 6 rebounds) and Christian Wood (18 points, 15 rebounds).

Read on for our assessment of individual Houston performances. Grades are limited to players who had at least 20 game minutes, since anything less wouldn’t represent a sufficient enough sample to evaluate. Grades are also decided relative to a player’s average performance — in other words, the standard for Wood is higher than it is for David Nwaba.

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