Tag: Luc Mbah a Moute

Mike D’Antoni bullish on rare second training camp for Rockets

With a stylistic change to going small and several midseason acquisitions, Houston might benefit more than most teams from training camp.

With a midseason switch to a smaller lineup and related acquisitions such as Robert Covington, Jeff Green, DeMarre Carroll, and now Luc Mbah a Moute, the Houston Rockets have made more changes during the 2019-20 NBA season than most NBA teams.

That’s why they hope an unusual training camp late in the regular season — owing to the season’s multi-month stoppage due to COVID-19 — could benefit them more than their Western Conference rivals.

In Wednesday’s Zoom session from Toyota Center, where the Rockets are going through individual workouts until a July 9 departure for the Florida “bubble” site, head coach Mike D’Antoni said this to reporters:

No other team changed its philosophy and players at the All-Star break. We’re the only team that hasn’t had a preseason or training camp.

The hiatus is also allowing players with nagging injuries, such as reserve guard Eric Gordon, to finally get healthy. But that type of benefit would seemingly apply to most of the 22 NBA teams headed to Florida, which would reduce its competitive advantage for the Rockets.

On the other hand, the combination of a stylistic shift and several new acquisitions from February onward are fairly unique. Time will tell, but on paper, there’s a clear case for D’Antoni’s optimism.

“We have as good of chance to win this as anybody,” D’Antoni said. “At the end of the day, it’s going to come down to big players making big plays, and it’s always that way. We’ve got two of the best, if not more.”

Led by the All-Star backcourt of James Harden and Russell Westbrook, Houston resumes its regular season on July 31. The Rockets (40-24), who have already clinched a playoff spot, are tied for the West’s No. 5 spot and could finish anywhere between No. 2 and No. 7 in the final standings.

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Luc Mbah a Moute returning to Rockets to fill Sefolosha’s spot

The Houston Rockets are filling Thabo Sefolosha’s vacated roster spot by bringing former player Luc Mbah a Moute back into the fold.

Just before the NBA’s COVID-19 hiatus in March, the Houston Rockets brought in veteran forward Luc Mbah a Moute for a workout.

With a roster spot now open due to Thabo Sefolosha opting out of the NBA’s restart later this month in Florida, the timing is finally right.

As reported by The Athletic‘s Shams Charania, the Rockets plan to sign Mbah a Moute to fill Sefolosha’s vacant spot. Mbah a Moute has not played for an NBA team this season, so he is eligible for a playoff roster.

Best known for his defense, the versatile 6-foot-8 forward played 25.6 minutes per game with the Rockets in the 2017-18 season. He averaged 7.5 points, including 36.4% on 3-pointers. Houston went 65-17 as a team that year, which was by far the best mark in franchise history.

Mbah a Moute had a 101.7 defensive rating with the 2017-18 Rockets, which was best on the team among consistent rotation players.

But Mbah a Moute dislocated his right shoulder twice during that season, with the latter incident occurring in the second-to-last game. That injury limited his availability and effectiveness in the playoffs.

Then, after signing with the Clippers before the 2018-19 season, a separate knee injury limited him to only four games. Now 33 years old, Mbah a Moute hasn’t played with any team in 2019-20, which means he’s played in just four NBA games over the last two seasons, combined.

Thus, between the normal aging curve for an NBA player and his own personal history with injuries, it’s not clear whether Mbah a Moute is still the same player physically as he was two seasons ago. But if healthy, Mbah a Moute would seem to be an ideal fit for the new frontcourt emphasis of the Rockets (40-24), who are prioritizing versatile defenders such as P.J. Tucker and Robert Covington ahead of traditional centers.

Mbah a Moute’s position versatility also lines up well with Sefolosha, making him a logical replacement as Houston fills out its bench. In fact, just before signing Sefolosha last September, reports indicated that the Rockets also had interest in Mbah a Moute for the same role.

Sefolosha wasn’t expected to be in the rotation once Houston’s 2019-20 season resumes on July 31, and the same will likely be the case for Mbah a Moute. But that prior stint means that head coach Mike D’Antoni knows him well — and if issues arise with injuries or health in Florida, having trusted veterans at the end of the bench could become very important.

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Report: Rockets brought in Luc Mbah a Moute for a workout

Houston reportedly brought in former defensive ace Luc Mbah a Moute for a workout this week. If signed, he would be playoff eligible.

The Houston Rockets brought in free agent forward Luc Mbah a Moute for a workout on Wednesday, according to The Athletic‘s Kelly Iko.

Mbah a Moute has not played for an NBA team this season, so he would be eligible for the playoffs, if the Rockets were to sign him. The recent March 1 deadline was for players on other teams to be waived, in order to maintain playoff eligibility for their new team.

Best known for his defense, the versatile 6-foot-8 forward played 25.6 minutes per game with the Rockets in the 2017-18 season. He averaged 7.5 points, including 36.4% on 3-pointers. Houston went 65-17 as a team that year, which was by far the best mark in franchise history.

Mbah a Moute had a 101.7 defensive rating with the 2017-18 Rockets, which was best on the team among consistent rotation players.

But Mbah a Moute dislocated his right shoulder twice during that season, with the second incident occurring in the second-to-last game. That injury limited his availability and effectiveness in the playoffs.

Then, after signing with the Clippers before the 2018-19 season, a knee injury limited him to only four games. Now 33 years old, Mbah a Moute hasn’t played with any team in 2019-20, which means he’s played in just four NBA games over the last two seasons combined.

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Thus, between the normal aging curve for an NBA player and his own personal history with injuries, it’s not clear whether Mbah a Moute is still the same player physically as he was two seasons ago. That could explain why the Rockets brought him in for a workout, as they try to gauge.

If healthy, Mbah a Moute seems to be an ideal fit for the frontcourt emphasis of the Rockets (39-21), who are prioritizing versatile defenders such as P.J. Tucker and Robert Covington ahead of traditional centers.

Houston’s roster is completely full at the moment with 15 players, so if Mbah a Moute were to be signed, someone else would need to be released. However, based on their moves at the trade deadline, they could release a player and sign Mbah a Moute while still staying beneath the luxury tax. As a result, it’s unlikely to be a financial decision.

It’s primarily a matter of how much Mbah a Moute still has left, physically. The answer is unclear, but the move by the Rockets to bring him in for a workout shows that they’re curious to find out.

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