Tag: Houston Rockets Trades

Podcast: With NBA trade season here, what should the Rockets do?

NBA trade season unofficially began Thursday, so what might that mean for general manager Rafael Stone and the Rockets? @BenDuBose, @PauloAlvesNBA, and @stanfordkp discuss.

Thursday is Dec. 15, and each year, that date is the unofficial kickoff to NBA trade season. It is the date most players who signed new contracts in the offseason become trade eligible, and it opens many more trade possibilities, since each team has a much easier path to meeting salary matching rules.

So, what does that mean for the Houston Rockets and third-year general manager Rafael Stone? It might not mean much, since they likely will not want to jeopardize the significant salary cap room they’re in line to have in the 2023 offseason.

Even so, some situations may need resolving, such as Eric Gordon and KJ Martin, whom recent reports addressed. Thursday’s episode of The Lager Line podcast (sponsored by Clutch City Lager of Karbach Brewing) explores the likely outcomes and what the path forward should be for Stone and the Rockets.

The show also features reaction to Houston’s recent upturn in play and its five-game home winning streak, along with insight on how fans should balance those short-term improvements versus any potential detriment to their 2023 NBA draft lottery odds.

Thursday’s full podcast can be listened to below. With Ben DuBose and Paulo Alves as hosts, each episode of the weekly show is also available via flagship radio station SportsTalk 790, as well as to all major podcast distributors under “The Lager Line.”

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Woj hints at Lakers pursuing trade for Rockets guard Eric Gordon

With no apparent traction on a Kyrie Irving deal, ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski sees Rockets veteran Eric Gordon as a potential trade target for the Los Angeles Lakers.

With no apparent traction on a Kyrie Irving deal, ESPN’s longtime NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski says he sees Houston Rockets veteran Eric Gordon as a potential trade target for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The rebuilding Rockets have made it clear that Gordon is available for the right price ⁠— reportedly, a future first-round draft asset that isn’t likely to be too late in the order. At this point, it seems to be a simple matter of whether another team chooses to meet that valuation. If not, Houston general manager Rafael Stone is comfortable bringing Gordon back for another season as a veteran mentor to Houston’s young core.

So, as the 2022 NBA offseason enters its slow period after the first wave of free agency, is there a team that might still be aggressive enough to make such a move? On Monday’s Get Up television show, Woj said:

I think the Lakers will make a deal, maybe more than one deal.

It may not be for Kyrie Irving, it may not be for an All-NBA player, an All-Star… players like Eric Gordon in Houston, Buddy Hield in Indiana, Patrick Beverley, who came to the Jazz in a trade from Minnesota… who are role players on winning teams.

What is the price for those kinds of moves? They’re going to continue to be active on those things.

The challenge for the Lakers, who are well above the NBA’s salary cap at the moment, is the league’s salary matching rules for trades. To absorb Gordon’s salary of $19.6 million, the Lakers would almost certainly need to send out Talen Horton-Tucker and his $10.3 million salary. But from Houston’s side, the Rockets aren’t likely to be interested in cutting into their projected salary cap room in the 2023 offseason for Horton-Tucker, who has a player option worth over $11 million for 2023-24.

Thus, any deal would likely require a third team willing to take Horton-Tucker, along with either the Lakers or that third team (or a combination) being willing to send some sort of draft asset package to the Rockets that would incentivize Stone enough to make the move.

That’s a lot of dominoes that need to line up perfectly, which inherently makes a deal less likely than likely. Yet, with a 37-year-old LeBron James entering the final year of his Lakers contract, that may provide Los Angeles with extra incentive to push their (trade) chips to the table.

Stay tuned!

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Can KJ Martin aid Houston with trading up into the draft lottery?

If the Rockets are considering KJ Martin deals after his apparent trade inquiry, it could make sense to try and package Martin with 2022 draft assets to move up in the first-round order.

On Monday, surprising news came out regarding the Houston Rockets that dominated the team’s headlines for the day. It had nothing to do with their upcoming selection at No. 3 overall in Thursday’s NBA draft or the Christian Wood blockbuster trade from last week. The news also had nothing to do with the crux of their young core in Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., and Alperen Sengun. However, it mattered all the same.

KJ Martin, Houston’s second-round selection from the 2020 draft and son of Kenyon Martin Sr., reportedly approached the front office regarding a potential trade. This is all within the context of the likely selection of either Duke’s Paolo Banchero or Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren this week, with either likely to eat into the available frontcourt minutes.

It’s a somewhat stunning development for a team that took a chance on Martin when nobody else did and had watched him flourish, albeit in a limited capacity, during his first two years in the league. Clearly, after averaging 21 minutes in 79 games last year, Martin believes that he’s worthy of a bigger role moving forward — and the possibility of that with the Rockets and their deep young core is certainly cloudy.

This raises an important question: What does Houston do with Martin, as they navigate the rest of the 2022 offseason?

They can always choose to do nothing. Martin is under contract for two more years and represents the type of young talent that is attractive to a rebuilding team. He doesn’t have the star power to force general manager Rafael Stone’s hand like James Harden once did. More than likely, Martin would eventually fall in line and try to break the rotation.

Martin’s father, former NBA All-Star Kenyon Martin, said in a later interview with Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston that his son’s focus was still on being with the Rockets and becoming a better player.

But within the context of a team that is trying to transition into more of a winning culture, keeping Martin against his will may not be ideal. That begs the question of what options Houston may have on the trade front.

At just 21 years old, Martin should have trade suitors, and he’s universally considered one of the better surprises from a weak 2020 draft class. In fact, he was viewed as one of the best 20 players from his class if it was to be re-drafted, according to a Bleacher Report article from this year.

Even so, the Rockets are unlikely to receive significant draft capital by trading a player that rival teams now know is somewhat unhappy and carries only a second-round status from his original draft. Things could get more interesting, however, if taken in conjunction with Houston’s other draft picks. Besides No. 3, the Rockets also currently own first-round picks at No. 17 and No. 26, and Stone could angle to move up a few spots on draft night — should a highly ranked player fall.

Kelly Iko from the Athletic reports that Houston is seeking athletic wings after their selection at No. 3. This could be a player profile that is easier to target, should the Rockets acquire a late-lottery pick.

The Rockets are seeking help on the wings, targeting young players who are confident offensively and can defend multiple positions effectively.

Could Houston dangle Martin, No. 17, and No. 26 to a team like the Charlotte Hornets and see if they could move up to No. 13 overall? The draft is very much considered a crapshoot after the top eight or so picks, with various teams having different preferences and major differences in their big boards. It is feasible that Stone and the Rockets could find someone in the late lottery that would consider moving down.

By moving up the draft board, it may be possible to target a player like Memphis’ Jalen Duran, Ohio State’s Malaki Branham, or even Baylor’s Jeremy Sochan. In this way, Martin’s seemingly unfortunate disruption during this draft week could turn to good favor — if it allows Houston to eventually end up with a better 2022 prospect.

Even so, given Martin’s age, it’s unlikely we see any significant movement on the trade front. Teams, players, and agents are amicable to working out agreements that will benefit both parties. If the Rockets are realistic about Martin’s stock around the league, it may be best he plays another season in Houston with head coach Stephen Silas.

But the other possibility is certainly out there after Monday’s news.

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Rockets trade two future first-round picks to draft Alperen Sengun

Houston traded two protected future first-round draft picks to Oklahoma City for the rights to select Turkish big man Alperen Sengun.

In an unexpected move, the Rockets traded two protected future first-round draft picks (via Washington and Detroit) to Oklahoma City for the draft rights to Turkish big man Alperen Sengun. The Thunder selected the 6-foot-10 big man on Houston’s behalf at No. 16 overall on Thursday.

“He’s a low-post scorer with the touch to someday become a threat from 3-point range,” Kevin O’Connor writes of the 19-year-old post player in The Ringer’s 2021 NBA draft guide. “Passing is his best skill.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sklNsl-ct2U

Sengun, who was in the green room at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, joins No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green as members of Houston’s growing 2021 draft class. The Rockets also entered Thursday with picks No. 23 and No. 24, which could give them up to our first-round selections.

Stick with Rockets Wire throughout Thursday night for reaction from Houston general manager Rafael Stone and interviews with each of the first-round draft prospects selected by the Rockets.

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Reports: Rockets looking to trade up from late first-round draft picks

Multiple media reports indicated Sunday that the Rockets want to trade up in the NBA draft from their late picks at No. 23 and No. 24.

The Houston Rockets are interested in moving higher in the first round of the 2021 NBA draft in a deal involving at least one of their two current selections at No. 23 and No. 24 overall, according to media reports.

Houston already owns the No. 2 spot in the draft, but it appears they’re interested in potentially acquiring a second lottery selection (Top 14) as well, per Jonathan Givony of ESPN. “Sources say the Houston Rockets have been active [in] exploring the prospect of packaging picks 23 and 24 with assets they acquired in the James Harden trade to move into the lottery, which has so far been rebuffed,” Givony tweeted.

That would mostly mesh with a report by Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who wrote Sunday that Houston had engaged Indiana on a deal potentially involving the No. 23 pick and veteran guard Eric Gordon for the No. 13 selection in the first round. Hours later, The Athletic’s Shams Charania wrote that the Rockets “have looked to use Gordon and one of their picks in the 20s to move up in the draft.”

With the 2021 draft now only a few days away on Thursday, July 29, expect conversations to get more serious throughout the week.

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Report: Rockets among most aggressive trade suitors for Damian Lillard

Per Kevin O’Connor, Houston is among five teams aggressively pursuing Lillard. However, most executives don’t expect a deal this offseason.

The Houston Rockets are among five NBA teams who have recently shown interest in a trade for Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. Lillard averaged 28.8 points (39.1% on 3-pointers) and 7.5 assists per game last season.

Now 31 years old, rumors have swirled in recent weeks that Lillard intends to request a trade. In a press conference with USA Basketball last Friday, the 6-foot-2 guard denied that he had made a request as of that time, but he was noncommittal beyond that. “I haven’t made any firm decision on what my future will be,” the six-time All-Star said.

In a story posted early Tuesday, O’Connor followed up with some intel on Lillard’s potential trade market. He writes:

Few team executives expect a Dame deal to happen this offseason. But multiple front-office sources say the Heat, Kings, Knicks, Rockets, and Sixers have recently been the most aggressive suitors.

Even with Lillard at 31 and the Rockets in an apparent rebuilding cycle after finishing 2020-21 with the NBA’s worst record, the appeal is obvious. He’s consistently among the league’s most dominant playmakers and clutch scorers. And thanks in large part to the blockbuster James Harden trade, Houston general manager Rafael Stone does have a significant amount of future draft capital to help facilitate a deal.

It’s worth remembering that despite Harden also being 31, Houston did not want to trade him. The Rockets preferred to continue building around Harden, since they know how difficult it is to acquire a player among the league’s elite. That could explain their interest in Lillard, who is signed through 2023-24 and has a player option for 2024-25.

Then again, the Harden saga was a clear reminder that contracts in the modern NBA aren’t particularly significant. Even though Harden was signed for at least two more seasons at the time, his clear discontent and the ramifications of keeping a star player against his will forced the Rockets into a trade. For the Rockets to give up the type of draft assets that Portland is likely to require, they would presumably need to have confidence that Lillard truly wants to be in Houston and is unlikely to change his mind after a few months. In other words, a deal isn’t worth it to the Rockets if Lillard is likely to then do what Harden did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vL73r8dQ6Q

So, the question becomes: Can Houston offer Lillard a better path to a championship than the current supporting cast in Portland? The answer depends on Lillard’s preferences, as well as the potential terms of a trade. For example, if the Rockets could keep the likes of Christian Wood, Jae’Sean Tate, Kelly Olynyk, Kevin Porter Jr., Eric Gordon, and the No. 2 overall pick (Jalen Green?) in the 2021 draft, an argument can be made for that group having more upside than the current supporting cast in Portland led by CJ McCollum, Jusuf Nurkic, and Robert Covington. (With Lillard making nearly $44 million next season, John Wall would likely have to leave Houston in any hypothetical trade for salary matching purposes.)

There’s also a hypothetical world in which the No. 2 choice could be dealt as the centerpiece of a separate trade, which would potentially put a second veteran star around Lillard with the Rockets.

But, even if that group is superior to the one in Portland, is it enough to satisfy Lillard’s desire to make a title run? It’s also unclear if the Rockets could meet Portland’s asking price in a trade without involving one of those aforementioned assets. For example, if the Trail Blazers were to demand this year’s No. 2 pick as part of a Houston proposal, that could limit the appeal of the Rockets to Lillard — since it diminishes the potential supporting cast around him. It’s a delicate balancing act.

In short, all the dominoes would have to line up perfectly for a Lillard trade to Houston to make sense. It’s not likely to happen. But given his dominance as a player, there’s a case for Stone to at least explore it.

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John Wall ‘likes’ article suggesting trade from Rockets to Clippers

As a veteran, the Clippers would seem to be a better fit for John Wall than the rebuilding Rockets. Finances, however, make it challenging.

In late May, Rockets guard John Wall watched a Clippers playoff game at Staples Center alongside the parents of Paul George. On Monday, he used his Twitter account to “like” a proposed trade sending him from Houston to Los Angeles. It’s not hard to connect the dots.

Soon to be 31 years old, the five-time All-Star makes more sense on paper with a near-term title contender like the Clippers than he does with the rebuilding Rockets. That could especially be the case if Houston selects Jalen Green or Jalen Suggs with the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, which could be paired with Kevin Porter Jr. in a backcourt of rising stars. Both from a timeline and roster perspective, Wall’s fit is unclear.

Yet, the challenge comes in the finances. Because the Clippers are above the league’s salary cap, they have to send out nearly as much money in trades as they take in. With Wall making well over $40 million annually, Los Angeles would have to send Houston something in that ballpark for a trade to work within the league’s collective bargaining agreement.

The proposal referenced in the article has Marcus Morris, Pat Beverley, Rajon Rondo, and Luke Kennard being traded for Wall and Milwaukee’s 2023 first-round pick, which is owned by Houston. But, as the article points out, that deal appears to be lopsided in Houston’s favor from a talent perspective. And if Morris is subtracted from the deal, which would make it more reasonable in terms of talent, the finances don’t work.

If Wall and the teams involved want to make a deal happen, the biggest variable to watch could be whether veteran big man Serge Ibaka picks up the player option on his contract at $9.7 million for the 2021-22 season. If he does — and it’s doubtful that he could get more money as a free agent, considering that he just had back surgery — a combination of Ibaka, Beverley ($14.3 million), and Kennard ($12.7 million) is enough for a deal to mathematically work for all sides.

Image via fanspo.com/nba/trade-machine

It’s still not a given, of course, that the Clippers would see Wall as an upgrade on Beverley and Kennard — who each had key moments during their team’s recent run to the Western Conference finals. But unlike the hypothetical with Morris and Rondo, it would at least appear to be close enough for an argument to be made. Draft considerations could also be added from one or both sides, as needed, to sweeten the pot.

A 6-foot-4 guard who is well regarded around the league for his leadership and passing abilities, Wall averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists in 32.2 minutes per game with the Rockets last season.

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Report: Knicks could have interest in John Wall trade with Rockets

A new report suggests that John Wall could be a fallback plan this offseason for New York, should their initial pursuits not work out.

Evan Massey of the NBA Analysis Network cites a former NBA executive as saying the New York Knicks could have interest in trading for Houston Rockets star John Wall. A 6-foot-4 guard, Wall averaged 20.6 points, 6.9 assists, and 3.2 steals in 32.2 minutes per game this season.

Now 30 years old and previously a five-time All-Star, Wall clearly isn’t a long-term fit with the rebuilding Rockets. However, due to Wall’s contract — which pays him over $44 million in 2021-22 and has a player option of more than $47 million for the 2022-23 season — it’s unclear whether there would be any takers in 2021, since two full years could be left.

Here’s what Massey quotes a former NBA executive as saying, with indications a deal this offseason is possible:

The Knicks have some level of interest in John Wall. Houston would love to move him and get something of value for him. He isn’t a long-term fit for the Rockets, and if New York really wants him, they have the pieces to get a deal done. Wall isn’t their top priority this offseason, but he could be an excellent fallback option and the interest is there.

It’s worth noting the Knicks could have significant cap space this offseason, which might make them more viable as a Wall destination, relative to many other teams. Based on that cap space, New York wouldn’t necessarily have to send out as many salaries to Houston to make a trade work under the collective bargaining agreement. For most teams, finding approximately $40 million in tradable salary is challenging.

Even so, the Knicks would likely have higher priorities for that cap space (as Massey’s report indicates) than a 30-year-old who missed nearly half of the 2020-21 season due to various injuries. But if New York strikes out on those initial plans, it’s possible Wall could be viewed as a satisfactory Plan B. After all, while his contract is large in annual value, it’s not an especially long-term commitment. Moreover, after finally getting back to the Eastern Conference playoffs in 2021, the Knicks may prefer a veteran such as Wall who could help them remain competitive.

As for the report’s validity, it’s worth noting that just before the March 25 trade deadline, Massey reported the Rockets and Heat were discussing a Victor Oladipo trade. At the time, Oladipo rumors were few and far between. As it turned out, a Rockets-Heat deal for Oladipo materialized.

That doesn’t mean Massey’s report on Wall and the Knicks is necessarily accurate, but it does offer hope — since his connections have seemingly had credible information about the Rockets in the recent past.

As for the potential Wall proposal, Massey writes that New York “could offer a package built around Kevin Knox and a draft pick.” A 6-foot-7 forward, Knox was the No. 9 overall pick in the NBA’s 2018 draft, but he’s largely fallen out of favor with the Knicks and could potentially benefit from a change of scenery. From Houston’s perspective, the 21-year-old would effectively become a talented reclamation project.

As mentioned earlier, the Knicks could create enough salary cap room to where they would not have to send similar money to Houston in order to take Wall in. That might boost the odds of a deal getting done.

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Report: Rockets traded Victor Oladipo to start Kevin Porter Jr.

Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, the trade was made in part based on the Rockets’ desire to start Kevin Porter Jr. now.

Though Houston’s trade return from Miami for Victor Oladipo looks a bit underwhelming, part of the apparent motivation for the Rockets was based on something that wasn’t in the final package from the Heat.

Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, the Rockets made the deadline move — as opposed to keeping Oladipo and trying to move him in an offseason sign-and-trade — because they wanted to give more playing time to 20-year-old guard Kevin Porter Jr. alongside John Wall.

Feigen writes:

The Rockets made the trade because they have prioritized starting Kevin Porter Jr. in a backcourt with John Wall and giving Porter consistent playing time, according to two individuals with knowledge of the team’s thinking.

Moving Oladipo became an essential part of that plan. That also could indicate that after 20 increasingly disappointing games, they decided they were not going to pursue keeping Oladipo as a free agent, leading to the decision to get what they could for him at the deadline.

In seven games with the Rockets, Porter — a first-round pick from the NBA’s 2019 draft — is averaging 14.9 points and 6.4 assists in 29.1 minutes per game. He started four of those seven games, but only when at least one of Oladipo and Wall was sidelined.

While the 6-foot-4 guard has largely played at point guard in Houston, the recent trade acquisition of DJ Augustin would presumably allow Porter to play the majority of his minutes at shooting guard.

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Rockets trade Victor Oladipo to Miami for Kelly Olynyk, Avery Bradley, pick swap

In 20 games with the Rockets, Oladipo averaged 21.2 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 33.5 minutes per game.

The Houston Rockets are trading veteran guard Victor Oladipo to the Miami Heat, as first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. From Miami, the Rockets are receiving center Kelly Olynyk, guard Avery Bradley, and the right to swap picks in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

Olynyk is averaging 10.0 points and 6.1 rebounds in 26.9 minutes per game, while Bradley — known best for his perimeter defense — is averaging 8.5 points (42.1% on 3-pointers) in 21.1 minutes per game. Olynyk, 29, will be a free agent this offseason, while Bradley, 30, has a team option on his contract for the 2021-22 season at $5.9 million.

A two-time All-Star, Oladipo was acquired by Houston in January as part of the blockbuster four-team trade that sent James Harden to Brooklyn. Now 28 years old, Oladipo’s contract expires after this season.

When Oladipo was acquired in January, the Rockets were hopeful that he could boost a short-term playoff push and open-minded to the potential of a contract extension. But following a historic 20-game losing streak, which largely derailed any playoff chances this season, the risk of Oladipo potentially leaving for no compensation in offseason free agency became too much for Houston general manager Rafael Stone to take. After all, part of Oladipo’s original value proposition was his impact on the 2020-21 season — and with the team at 12-31, that’s suddenly less relevant.

In 20 games with the Rockets, Oladipo averaged 21.2 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 33.5 minutes per game. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard was also one of Houston’s top defenders.

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