Tag: Houston Rockets Trades

Woj: Rockets guard Eric Gordon picking up significant trade interest

There’s a “great deal of interest” from other NBA teams in trading for Eric Gordon, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

There’s a “great deal of interest” from other NBA teams in trading for veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon from the Houston Rockets, according to an update from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski late Wednesday.

With the injury-plagued Rockets (11-23) having lost 13 straight games, the brief television segment focused on veterans who could be traded out of Houston as the league’s annual trade deadline nears later this month. As expected, Victor Oladipo and PJ Tucker were mentioned, since each is in the final year of his contract, and the Rockets probably don’t want to take the risk of losing them for no compensation in the offseason — all in a year where a playoff run is becoming increasingly unlikely.

But even though Gordon isn’t in the final year of his contract like Tucker and Oladipo, his age means that he may not be an ideal fit for Houston moving forward, should they begin something of a youth movement. Thus, Gordon might make more sense for a team looking to contend now.

Wojnarowski, who said the Rockets have been “very active” in trade discussions, did not mention what the trade return for Gordon might be. He also did not identify any specific suitors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2TsTuwKy5Y

Now 32 years old, Gordon is averaging 17.8 points and 2.7 assists in 29.3 minutes per game this season, and he’s looked much more explosive after missing much of last season with various leg injuries. At 58.4%, Gordon is shooting the highest percentage on two-pointers of his NBA career, and he’s also proven to be an adept perimeter defender.

While some fans have speculated that Gordon’s contract could limit his trade value, a closer look reveals that it’s not as bad as it might appear. Technically, Gordon is in the first season of a contract extension worth up to $75.6 million over four seasons. However, the final season — worth $20.9 million in 2023-24 — only becomes guaranteed if Gordon becomes an All-Star, or if his team wins the NBA title. To put it mildly, the All-Star scenario is quite unlikely. And if the final year is guaranteed by Gordon’s new team winning a championship (and earning the associated cash influx), that’s likely a “problem” that any suitor would love to have.

In effect, Gordon most likely has a three-year contract worth $54 million, and the initial season is partially paid for already. There’s also the reality that the NBA’s play-in tournament for the final two postseason seeds in each conference has brought more teams into playoff contention, and thus brings less competition to true “sellers” like the Rockets. In other words, Gordon may be one of the best available players on the market.

That could provide an opportunity to Houston general manager Rafael Stone, and it would be a surprise if he didn’t at least explore it.

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Report: Nuggets, Jazz, Nets have asked Rockets about PJ Tucker trade

Denver, Utah, and Brooklyn have joined a list of suitors that was already believed to include the Lakers, Heat, and Bucks.

With defensive ace PJ Tucker months from free agency and still without a contract extension, it’s only natural for the Houston Rockets to consider trading him before this season’s March 25 trade deadline, rather than risk him leaving for no compensation in the offseason.

To that end, the Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, and Brooklyn Nets are among numerous teams who have “sniffed around” regarding Tucker’s potential availability, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski had previously listed the Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat as among Tucker’s suitors, which includes a long list of contenders. Brooklyn, led by James Harden — who happens to be Tucker’s former teammate and close friend — is the one team specifically identified by both Woj and Iko.

According to Woj, the Rockets are hoping to trade Tucker for a player they can immediately plug into this season’s rotation, rather than a package headlined by future draft considerations.

Now 35 years old, Tucker is averaging 4.6 points and 4.7 rebounds in 29.9 minutes per game this season. Across the board, his numbers are the lowest of his four years with the Rockets. However, as his teammates and coaches recently explained, his value is tough to capture in basic statistics. For starters, Tucker is a clear veteran leader in the locker room, as shown by the testimonials of those consistently around him.

Moreover, there are additional benefits from Tucker’s extreme durability and toughness. Dating to 2012-13, the 6-foot-5 forward has played in the most games of any NBA player on any team. Those are among the many reasons why Houston general manager Rafael Stone likely has a high asking price for Tucker, even at 35 and in a contract year.

The Rockets (11-20) entered Sunday on a 10-game losing streak, which is their longest as a franchise in over 20 years. Barring a major turnaround, Houston’s status as a clear non-contender in the 2020-21 season would seem to boost the odds of a Tucker trade eventually getting done.

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Rockets trade future second-round draft pick for Kevin Porter Jr.

A first-round pick in the 2019 NBA draft, Porter averaged 10.0 points in 23.2 minutes per game during his rookie season in Cleveland.

The Houston Rockets are trading a protected future second-round draft selection to acquire 2019 first-round pick Kevin Porter Jr. from the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to numerous media reports.

“This is a top-55 protected pick that is likely never to convey,” said ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, citing sources. “The Rockets are taking a flyer on a talented 20-year-old who is dealing with some personal issues.”

From Houston’s perspective, the talented 6-foot-4 guard effectively represents a reclamation project following a turbulent offseason.

After playing in college at the University of Southern California (USC), Porter was the No. 30 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft. He averaged 10.0 points (44.2%) and 3.2 rebounds in 23.2 minutes per game as a rookie and showed flashes of strong play on both offense and defense, but fell out of favor in Cleveland after several concerning incidents.

From ESPN’s story on the trade:

The Cavaliers decided to trade or waive Porter after a screaming match with team officials on Friday night, when he attended his first game of the season. Porter was upset that his locker had been moved to an auxiliary area after his old locker was given to Taurean Prince, who arrived along with Jarrett Allen in the four-team James Harden trade. …

Porter was arrested on Nov. 15 after a middle-of-the-night crash when he flipped his Mercedes SUV. He admitted to have been drinking earlier in the evening, and when police searched the car, they found a loaded handgun in the glove compartment and a small amount of marijuana.

A grand jury declined to indict Porter on a felony weapons charge after he was able to prove he didn’t know the gun was in the car. Police also determined he was not impaired at the time of the accident. A judge dismissed the misdemeanor pot charge.

The Cavaliers kept Porter away from the team to begin the 2020-21 season following those and other reported offseason problems, and they were working on a reintegration plan as recently as a few days ago. However, last weekend’s events were apparently the final straw. Porter was also suspended for “personal conduct issues” in college at USC, which contributed to him falling to the end of the 2019 first round.

Houston is waiving second-year guard Chris Clemons to create a roster spot for Porter, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Clemons is out for the year after tearing his Achilles in the preseason.

Going forward, the Rockets plan to have Porter work on a personal level with assistant coach John Lucas, per ESPN’s MacMahon.

One of Porter’s best NBA games came on Dec. 11, 2019 against the Rockets, when he scored 24 points on 6-of-9 shooting (66.7%) from 3-point range. Following that showing, then-Houston star James Harden offered a strong endorsement of Porter’s future in the league:

He is aggressive. I don’t know if he has been like that throughout the course of the year, I haven’t really watched him play, but tonight he was aggressive. His shot looked very good. He was attacking the rim. He just played with confidence.

In a postgame interview, Porter referred to Harden as a “big brother” and said they had trained together in the offseason. Porter noted that he wanted to add Harden’s renowned step-back jumper to his own game.

Now, with Harden gone and the Rockets (4-9) perhaps in a rebuilding phase (or at least reloading), GM Rafael Stone appears willing to take a low-risk gamble on potentially reviving Porter’s career. Whenever he reports to the team, Porter will be a backcourt option behind veteran rotation fixtures such as John Wall, Victor Oladipo, and Eric Gordon.

Porter, who is still on his initial NBA contract, is guaranteed $1.8 million in salary for the 2020-21 season. That deal gives the Rockets a team option to potentially retain him at $3.2 million for 2021-22. Houston accepted Porter’s salary into a small trade exception, which was made possible when the Harden trade moved them away from the hard salary cap.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgXkzK_l9w4

Victor Oladipo joins Rockets on road trip as trade becomes official

Oladipo was not active for Saturday’s game in San Antonio, but he could make his Houston debut on Monday night in Chicago.

The Houston Rockets announced Saturday that their original three-team trade with Brooklyn and Cleveland (centered around James Harden) was amended into a four-team trade involving Indiana. With that revision, two-time All-Star guard Victor Oladipo is officially a Rocket, along with guard Dante Exum and forward Rodions Kurucs.

Originally, the plan was for two separate trades, with the Rockets taking Exum, Kurucs, Caris LeVert, and draft considerations from Brooklyn and Cleveland before flipping LeVert (and a future second-round draft pick) to Indiana in a separate deal for Oladipo. By taking in LeVert, rather than Oladipo, in the Harden trade, Houston would have generated a slightly larger Traded Player Exception (TPE) for future use.

However, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Indiana took issue with something found in LeVert’s physical. To compensate for this, Brooklyn is sending them an extra second-round pick and cash considerations, which required Indiana’s inclusion in the original trade.

Houston did not have any cash to offer, since the Rockets already spent their full allotment for the 2020-21 league year as part of the offseason sign-and-trade arranagement with Detroit for Christian Wood. Also, the Rockets may have prioritized a future second-round pick over the slightly larger TPE, since many TPEs expire without being used.

With the revision, Houston’s TPE is worth approximately $10.65 million, as opposed to $15.45 million under the original construction of two separate trades. The TPE allows the Rockets to take in a salary of up to that amount in trades for up to one year without being subject to the NBA’s usual salary-matching rules (for teams above the salary cap).

In a picture shared on the team’s social media channels, Oladipo was seen joining his new Houston teammates in San Antonio. From the press release, here’s how the Rockets describe his NBA career:

Oladipo (6-4, 210) is in his eighth season and is a two-time All-Star.  In 430 career games with 370 starts, he is averaging 17.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.7 steals.  Over the past three seasons, he was the only player to have averaged at least 20.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.0 rpg, and 1.90 spg.  In 2017-18, Oladipo was named Most Improved Player, All-NBA Third Team, and All-Defensive First Team.

Oladipo was not activated in time for Saturday’s game, while Kurucs was. However, Houston coach Stephen Silas said pregame that he anticipated having more roster reinforcements by Monday’s game in Chicago, and presumably that would include Oladipo — who is not injured.

In what should be Oladipo’s debut, Monday’s tipoff between the Rockets and Bulls from United Center is set for 7:00 p.m. Central. Oladipo should start at shooting guard as the lineup replacement for Harden.

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Rockets trade James Harden to Brooklyn in deal landing Victor Oladipo, draft assets

The Rockets are getting two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo and significant future draft compensation in the trade sending Harden to Brooklyn.

One night after his brutal postgame remarks, the Houston Rockets are granting James Harden’s original wish of a trade to the Brooklyn Nets to join forces with close friend and former teammate Kevin Durant.

In a four-team trade involving the Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Indiana Pacers, the biggest motivation for the Rockets is the four future first-round draft picks and four pick-swap rights that they are receiving (all unprotected). Those picks are Brooklyn’s first-round selections in 2022, 2024, and 2026; pick-swap rights from the Nets for 2021, 2023, 2025, and 2027; and a 2022 first-round pick from Milwaukee (via Cleveland).

To absorb Harden’s $41.3-million contract, the Nets had to send out significant salaries (Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, and Taurean Prince) to make the deal permissible under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement. However, the Rockets are not actually taking in any of those three players. Houston is redirecting Allen and Prince to Cleveland for Milwaukee’s draft pick and defensive-minded guard Dante Exum, presumably as salary filler at $9.6 million on an expiring contract.

The Rockets are also moving Levert to the Pacers for Oladipo, a two-time All-Star in 2018 and 2019. A versatile 6-foot-4 guard, Oladipo is averaging 20.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 33.3 minutes per game this season, but he’s set to become a free agent this summer — which likely played a role in Indiana’s willingness to move him.

It isn’t yet clear if the Rockets have had discussions with Oladipo’s representatives about a potential extension, but for now, he should slide into Harden’s spot as the starting shooting guard next to John Wall.

The Rockets had said they wanted significant draft compensation and a “young franchise cornerstone” in any deal involving Harden, a perennial All-Star and MVP finalist, and it could be argued that they received it in this trade. At 28 years old, Oladipo is several years younger than the 31-year-old Harden, and the four unprotected future first-round picks and pick-swap rights are a significant haul for new GM Rafael Stone.

The Nets also sent Rodions Kurucs, a second-round pick in the 2018 NBA draft, to Houston as part of the massive transaction. In three NBA seasons, the lanky 6-foot-9 forward from Latvia has averaged 6.5 points (44.8% FG) and 3.4 rebounds in 17.3 minutes per game.

It’s unclear when Oladipo, Kurucs, and Exum will be cleared to play for the Rockets, since the presence of four teams in the transaction will require a significant amount of physicals to be passed.

For the Rockets, though, it’s the end of an era — with Thursday’s game versus San Antonio representing the first time since April 2012 that Houston has played in the regular season without Harden on its roster.

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Report: Rockets could trade James Harden soon; Nets, 76ers are finalists

“The Rockets are sifting through finalists — Nets and 76ers — for a James Harden deal that could culminate quickly,” Shams Charania writes.

Following the harsh rhetoric by disgruntled star James Harden after Tuesday’s loss, the Houston Rockets are moving quickly in evaluating trade packages, per Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

“The Rockets are sifting through finalists — Nets and [Philadelphia] 76ers — for a James Harden deal that could culminate quickly, with Brooklyn preparing an offer of all its future first-round picks and pick swaps, per sources,” Charania tweeted on Wednesday afternoon.

Per Charania and Amick, Brooklyn’s offer would include four future first-round draft picks and three future pick swaps, which is the most they can offer under the league’s collective bargaining agreement. Brooklyn would also have to send out significant salaries to be allowed to take in Harden’s $41.3-million contract, though the Rockets could redirect some or all of those pieces to a third team. Houston is believed to be seeking both significant draft compensation and a “young franchise cornerstone” player in any deal for Harden, a perennial All-Star and MVP finalist.

Meanwhile, Ben Simmons and Matisse Thybulle have been discussed in negotiations between the Rockets and 76ers, per Charania. It is not clear which team is the preference for new Rockets GM Rafael Stone.

Boston and Toronto have also expressed interest in Harden at various points in negotiations, according to The Athletic. However, the Brooklyn and Philadelphia packages appear to be the current focus.

Harden is under contract through at least the 2021-22 season, so the Rockets (3-6) are not certainly required to make an immediate deal. But with Harden struggling and visibly unhappy, and the team having lost four of five games amid a disappointing start, that could expedite things.

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James Harden on Rockets: ‘It’s something that I don’t think you can fix’

“I love this city. I’ve literally done everything I can. This situation is crazy. It’s something that, I don’t think it can be fixed.”

After requesting a trade in the offseason, frustrations seemed to boil over for Houston star James Harden after a second straight blowout loss at the hands of the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.

In Tuesday’s lethargic 117-100 home loss (box score), the Rockets trailed by 21 points after the first quarter and were never competitive. Harden played well below his usual standard, with 16 points (31.3% shooting) and six assists in 31 minutes. In postgame comments from Toyota Center, Harden answered two questions before leaving the podium.

These were Harden’s remarks upon leaving Toyota Center:

We’re not even close, honestly, to that team — obviously the defending champions — and all the other elite teams out there. You can tell the difference in these last two games.

We’re just not good enough. Obviously chemistry, talent-wise, just…  everything. It was clear. They’re a veteran team, a championship team, one of the best teams that we have in this league.

I love this city. I’ve literally done everything I can. This situation is crazy. It’s something that, I don’t think it can be fixed. So, thanks.

With that, Harden walked off the podium.

Houston’s next scheduled game is Thursday night in San Antonio, with tipoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Central from the AT&T Center.

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Rockets have ‘growing belief’ that Harden may stay for full season, if not longer

The Rockets reportedly have a growing belief that James Harden could stay in Houston for a full season, if not longer, per The Athletic.

Despite his consistent desire for a trade elsewhere, the Houston Rockets have a growing belief that All-Star guard James Harden could stay with the franchise for at least the 2020-21 season — if not longer. The news was reported by Sam Amick and Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

The Rockets are seeking a young franchise cornerstone and significant future draft compensation as part of any deal involving the perennial MVP finalist. If they don’t receive that level of return, Houston is content to keep Harden for themselves while pairing him with newcomers such as John Wall and Christian Wood. In time, the Rockets would like to re-convince Harden that he could compete for a title in Houston.

Here’s what Amick and Iko wrote in their Christmas Eve story:

Internally, there is also a growing belief that Harden could end up staying in Houston for the entire season — if not longer. Untenable though it may seem.

Elsewhere in the story, Amick and Iko report that Harden recently added Boston and Portland to his list of preferred trade destinations, joining Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Miami, and Milwaukee.

But given the length of Harden’s contract and his importance to the Rockets, the team doesn’t feel bound to his list. From the report:

If a deal is to be made, it will only be in the best interest of the organization and won’t be tied to his list of preferred destinations. The team knows what Harden wants already — a trade elsewhere to compete for a championship.

That said, Harden’s list could influence what offers the Rockets get from other teams, since suitors might be reluctant to meet Houston’s lofty asking price without assurances from “The Beard” that he has interest in a long-term partnership there. As such, Harden’s list initially grew from one team (Nets) to two (76ers), and two to four (Heat, Bucks), and now four to six (Celtics, Trail Blazers). In time, that willingness to be flexible might help the Rockets get their expected level of return for Harden.

Until then, though, the Rockets appear ready to ride it out. With Harden in the starting lineup, Houston’s first game of the 2020-21 regular season will take place Saturday night in Portland.

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NBA execs: Protocol violations by James Harden won’t prevent trade

“When asked if Harden’s behavior would be a red flag in trading for him, team executives told ESPN… that it would not prevent a deal.”

For a second time since the start of training camp for the 2020-21 season, Houston Rockets star James Harden was found to have violated the league’s new COVID-19 safety protocols. In both circumstances, videos posted to social media showed Harden at indoor club venues in close proximity to a crowd of people, and without wearing a mask.

While ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported Wednesday that Harden had already contracted COVID-19 in the summer, he’s still required by the league to follow protocols, as a means of limiting potential spread. For the second violation, which occurred earlier this week, Harden was fined $50,000 by the league. The protocols “prohibit attending indoor social gatherings of 15 or more people or entering bars, lounges, clubs, or similar establishments,” the NBA said in its announcement.

But for Harden, a perennial All-Star guard and MVP finalist who recently asked for a trade out of Houston, it doesn’t appear that his recent safety transgressions will undermine his value around the league.

Per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps:

When asked if Harden’s behavior would be a red flag in trading for the former MVP, team executives told ESPN they thought it was selfish and reckless but would not prevent a deal.

One executive told ESPN that his team had hired a private investigator to do a thorough background check on Harden, which presumably didn’t turn up any red flags. According to Bontemps, the biggest factor complicating a deal is Houston’s lofty asking price:

If a team is comfortable acquiring Harden, the larger challenge would be putting together enough outgoing salary (at least $33 million) to make a trade legal without gutting its existing roster.

Teams are in the early stages of evaluating their rosters and are not willing to make a rash judgment at this time. That could change if the Rockets lower their asking price on Harden, currently reported to be a mix of young players with star potential and significant draft assets.

As is typically the case in the NBA, the on-court value proposition — for both the Rockets, and any Harden suitors — appears likely to dictate if or when a deal ultimately gets to the finish line.

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Ben Simmons offered, but Rockets also looking beyond Harden trade list

While the 76ers have made Simmons available in talks, per ESPN, Houston is also exploring options beyond Harden’s preferred list.

All-Star guard Ben Simmons has been made available by the Philadelphia 76ers in trade discussions for perennial MVP finalist James Harden of the Houston Rockets, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

However, no deal is said to be close, and the Rockets are also shopping Harden beyond his preferred four-team list of Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Milwaukee, and Miami. Because “The Beard” is under contract for at least two more seasons, any team could potentially trade for Harden in hopes of convincing him into a long-term partnership over time.

Even if Harden were to leave upon becoming a free agent, it would certainly be worth it if it brings that team a championship — as was the case for the Toronto Raptors and Kawhi Leonard in the 2018-19 season.

Here’s how ESPN characterizes the state of trade talks, as of Thursday:

Several teams told ESPN that they’re feeling less inhibited about trading for Harden without an assurance that he’d re-sign once he can become a free agent in two years.

While the Sixers have signaled a willingness to include All-Star guard Ben Simmons in trade packages for Harden, those talks have come nowhere close to a deal, sources said. The Nets are limited by the Rockets’ interest in their personnel, and likely would need a third team to emerge in talks, sources said. So far, the Rockets’ steep asking price of young players and pick hasn’t moved any of their discussions into an advanced stage.

Per Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne, several playoff-caliber teams in both the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference are “finding increased comfort in committing high-level trade assets” in talks to acquire Harden. The reference to West teams is noteworthy, since Harden’s preferred list to this point is comprised entirely of East teams.

The Rockets have ongoing discussions on several fronts and have been communicating with Harden about those scenarios, per ESPN.

Because of the length of Harden’s contract, the Rockets could easily keep him themselves, in hopes of eventually improving the relationship. Yet, it’s a delicate balance, because if they’re convinced that he will ultimately leave — then their maximum leverage in talks could come sooner rather than later, since he has still two full seasons still left on his contract.

While Simmons alone may not be sufficient value for an MVP-caliber player in Harden, Philadelphia’s willingness to dangle a 24-year-old All-Star who is under contract for five more years appears to be a strong signal of Daryl Morey’s desire to reunite with Harden. Morey, formerly GM of the Rockets, is now president of basketball operations for the 76ers.

Citing sources, ESPN reports that while Houston still plans to start the 2020-21 season with Harden on the roster, they “are exhibiting a desire to teams that they’ll move on completing a deal as soon as possible.”

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