Tag: NBA trade

Report: Rockets’ goal is to make it work with Harden, Westbrook

The Rockets want “to make their core players believe again in the team’s championship chances,” per the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen.

Despite a whirlwind of recent trade rumors involving All-Star guards James Harden and Russell Westbrook, the Houston Rockets aren’t currently interested in tearing apart the team, according to the media member that knows them best.

Per longtime beat writer Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, the franchise’s goal remains “to make their core players believe again in the team’s championship chances.”

A big part of that process would be improving the surrounding roster. With the NBA’s trade moratorium ending Monday and free agency opening Friday, the Rockets “believe they can bring in the help” to regain Harden’s confidence in their status as a title contender, per Feigen.

“The Rockets have no interest in tearing things down to restock shelves with draft picks and prospects and start over,” Feigen writes. He correctly points out that with Oklahoma City having the right to swap picks with Houston in the first round of the 2021 draft, there’s minimal incentive for the Rockets to consider rebuilding scenarios at this time.

As of Sunday, Westbrook had formally requested a trade, while Harden had not. However, Feigen indicates that the Rockets are hopeful that they can salvage the relationship with both. With regards to Westbrook, Feigen cites a source as saying that he wants to feel as if he can “be himself,” similar to his days with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Rockets, however, believe that could happen with adjustments in Houston.

While things could change quickly, Feigen says that trade talks involving the stars by new Rockets GM Rafael Stone have been closer to “listening” and “exploring,” rather than “shopping.” With free agency not opening until 5:00 p.m. Friday, it sounds as if the Rockets may wait until after that point to finalize decisions regarding Westbrook and Harden — since the primary objective is restoring their confidence in Houston as a contender, and free agent signings and/or trades could play a large role in that.

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Rockets finding ‘relatively barren’ market for Westbrook, per ESPN

“The Rockets have been actively searching for trade partners for Westbrook, but that marketplace is proving relatively barren,” per ESPN.

Following his recent trade request, the Houston Rockets are exploring transactions involving All-Star guard Russell Westbrook, according to multiple media reports. But with three years and up to $132 million left on his contract, the market could be prohibitive to a deal in 2020.

“The Rockets have been actively searching for trade partners for Westbrook, but that marketplace is proving relatively barren,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Zach Lowe, and Ramona Shelburne reported Sunday, citing sources. The NBA is set to lift its trade moratorium on Monday.

Houston has limited incentive to consider making its team worse for the 2020-21 season, since Oklahoma City has the right to swap picks with them (from the Westbrook-Chris Paul trade) in the first round of the 2021 draft. Thus, barring a strong offer, it could make sense for the Rockets to delay any rebuilding-type deals until prior to the 2021-22 season, when they have full control of their draft picks over the ensuing two years.

By waiting until next offseason, Westbrook’s contract might also be less of a deterrent to other teams, since it would be one year plus a player option — rather than two years and the option, as it is today.

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Report: Rockets would require ‘monstrous return’ to trade James Harden

“They’ve privately made it clear that they would require a monstrous return of players, draft picks and pick swaps,” ESPN reports.

With James Harden under contract for at least two more seasons, the Houston Rockets would require a “monstrous return” to consider trading him, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Zach Lowe, and Ramona Shelburne.

While Harden has yet to issue a formal trade request, he’s becoming increasingly intrigued by the Brooklyn Nets (and former teammate Kevin Durant) as a potential destination, according to ESPN’s report. However, even if he were to ask out, his leverage appears to be limited.

“If the Rockets did decide to engage in trade talks on Harden, they’ve privately made it clear that they would require a monstrous return of players, draft picks and pick swaps,” ESPN writes. With former GM Daryl Morey now in Philadelphia, Houston’s front office is now led by Rafael Stone, who was previously the No. 2 basketball operations executive.

Stone has consistently told teams that the Rockets plan to “run it back” with Harden this season, per ESPN. “The Rockets have seemed inclined to listen to offers on Harden, sources said, although that’s customary for most teams about most players in the league,” according to the report, which indicates that Houston and Brooklyn have yet to hold any talks.

It’s worth noting that Oklahoma City has the right to swap draft picks with Houston in the first round of the 2021 draft, which limits the potential incentive for the Rockets to begin any rebuilding process with the 2020-21 season. On the other hand, with full control of their first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, a Harden trade (should he want to leave) could make more sense for the Rockets in the 2021 offseason.

Now 31 years old, Harden has played eight of his 11 NBA seasons with the Rockets, and he’s made the playoffs in all of them. “The Beard” has led the league in scoring in each of the last three seasons (34.3 points per game in 2019-20), and he’s the only NBA player to have been both an MVP finalist and an All-NBA First Team member in each of the last four seasons. Harden won the MVP award in 2018.

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Kevin Durant reportedly recruiting James Harden to Brooklyn

Per ESPN, the idea of joining Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn is resonating with Harden. However, he has yet to request a trade.

Kevin Durant recently spoke with Houston Rockets star James Harden about the possibility of playing together in Brooklyn, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Zach Lowe, and Ramona Shelburne.

Harden was teammates with Durant in Oklahoma City over the first three seasons of his NBA career from 2009 through 2012, and the two All-Stars and former MVPs remain close friends.

“The idea of playing together again came up during Harden and Durant’s offseason workouts together in Los Angeles,” ESPN writes. “Sources said the players talked openly about whether the combination could work and how a trade facilitating it could work.”

The idea of joining Durant and Kyrie Irving is “resonating with Harden,” who is becoming increasingly uneasy about Houston’s ability to compete for an NBA title, according to ESPN’s report. However, while Harden has been considering the possibility of pushing for a trade, no request had officially been made as of Sunday evening. (That’s in contrast to co-star Russell Westbrook, who has asked Houston for a trade.)

Even if a request is made, the Rockets are under no obligation to trade Harden, who is under contract for at least two more seasons. According to Sunday’s report, Houston has continued to tell teams that they plan to “run it back” with Harden, and no trade talks between the Rockets and Nets have taken place so far. “If the Rockets did decide to engage in trade talks on Harden, they’ve privately made it clear that they would require a monstrous return of players, draft picks and pick swaps,” ESPN writes.

It’s worth noting that Oklahoma City has the right to swap draft picks with Houston in the first round of the 2021 draft, which limits the potential incentive for the Rockets to begin any rebuilding process with the 2020-21 season. On the other hand, with full control of their first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, a Harden trade (should he want to leave) could make more sense for the Rockets in the 2021 offseason.

Now 31 years old, Harden has played eight of his 11 NBA seasons with the Rockets. He has led the league in scoring in each of the last three seasons (34.3 points per game in 2019-20), and he’s the only NBA player to be an MVP finalist and an All-NBA First Team member in each of the last four seasons. “The Beard” won the MVP award in 2018.

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Report: Rockets believe they ‘have to trade’ Russell Westbrook

“I know the Rockets believe that they have to trade Russell Westbrook,” Brian T. Smith said. “The issue is going to be, are they able to?”

The Houston Rockets would like to respect the wishes of All-Star guard Russell Westbrook, who recently requested a trade.

But with Westbrook under contract for at least two more seasons, the Rockets have to balance his desires with what’s best for the team.

As a result, while they’re compelled to explore the market, there’s no guarantee of reaching a deal. Here’s what Houston Chronicle columnist Brian T. Smith told veteran NBA writer Chris Sheridan in a podcast:

I know for a fact that the Rockets believe that they have to trade Russell Westbrook. The issue is going to be… Are they able to? Is there a way to calm the situation down? Do they try to trade him, and they have to end up backing off? Because ultimately, they figure out that they’re keeping him in the fold for one more season. …

Honestly, I won’t be surprised if he gets traded in the next 48 hours. And I won’t be surprised if they go through the draft and free agency, and they try to make it work once training camp starts, and they get everybody in the same building. It’s a very, very odd situation.

The NBA’s trade moratorium will be lifted Monday morning, which is when the window for a Westbrook trade officially opens. But with up to three years and $132 million left on his existing deal, his market might be better in a 2021 — when that huge contract is closer to its expiration.

Whatever the case, with training camp for 2020-21 looming in barely over two weeks (Tuesday, Dec. 1), the Rockets need to find a quick resolution to this saga to begin preparing for the upcoming season.

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Woj: NBA to lift trade moratorium on Monday morning

If the Houston Rockets are to trade Russell Westbrook this offseason, the window to do so opens at 11 a.m. Central on Monday.

If the Houston Rockets are going to trade All-Star guard Russell Westbrook, the window to do so opens at 11 a.m. Central on Monday.

That’s when the NBA will lift its trade moratorium, per ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski. Trades were on hold while the league finalized the financial terms for its revised Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), owing to reduced revenues from the COVID-19 pandemic.

While Westbrook recently requested a trade, the Rockets are certainly not required to grant that request, since he’s under contract for at least two additional seasons. But with training camp for the 2020-21 season looming in just two weeks (Tuesday, Dec. 1), the Rockets need to decide relatively quickly if they’re going to make a deal — or if they will stay the course. If it’s the latter, they would prefer to improve the relationship and address some of Westbrook’s concerns prior to camp, rather than leaving his uncertain status as a potential distraction to the team.

The NBA’s 2020 draft will then take place on Wednesday night, while free agency is set to open at 5:00 p.m. Central on Friday afternoon.

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Woj: Rockets open to Westbrook trade, but contract stalls market

“Maybe that market opens up over time, but right now, his immediate future remains in Houston with the Rockets,” Woj said of Westbrook.

The Houston Rockets are “very open” to trading All-Star guard Russell Westbrook after his recent trade request, but it may not happen soon (if at all) due to a slow-moving marketplace for his massive contract, according to ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski.

While a deal isn’t imminent, this is the first report to confirm interest on Houston’s side in exploring a trade. Media reports in previous days were solely from the perspective of Westbrook, who lacks the leverage to force a move since he’s under contract for at least two more seasons.

Here’s what Woj said on Friday night’s SportsCenter:

The organization, right now, has no intention of engaging in any trade talks with James Harden. They expect to play this season out with him.

Russell Westbrook, they are open to talking to teams. Both sides are very open to it, but I’m told it’s a very slow-developing marketplace for Russell Westbrook. There are not teams right now who are ready to move quickly, at the very least, to take on a $132-million investment on in these economic times… and at Westbrook’s advancing age [32]. Maybe that market opens up over time, but right now, his immediate future remains in Houston with the Rockets.

Westbrook is owed more than $85 million over the next two seasons combined, and he has a 2022-23 player option worth $47.1 million.

The Charlotte Hornets and New York Knicks are among rumored suitors, but it’s unclear whether they would execute a trade now. If not, the Rockets may need to try and mend the relationship — since training camp for the 2020-21 season is just over two weeks away on Tuesday, Dec. 1.

The NBA’s moratorium on trades is expected to be lifted early next week, with 2020 free agency set to open on Friday, Nov. 20.

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Knicks are reportedly a ‘viable destination’ for Russell Westbrook

The Knicks are weighing the possibility of trying to trade for Houston’s Russell Westbrook, per Marc Stein of The New York Times.

The New York Knicks are on the short list of viable trade destinations for disgruntled Rockets star Russell Westbrook, per Marc Stein of The New York Times. It was reported Wednesday that Westbrook, a nine-time NBA All-Star and former MVP, had asked Houston for a trade.

“If the Knicks prove willing to absorb the $130+ million left on Westbrook’s contract [over three seasons] to make him their centerpiece, there is a trade to be made,” Stein tweeted. “They have weighed it.”

What makes the Knicks intriguing as a potential trade partner for the Rockets is their unique ability to create enough cap room to absorb Westbrook’s entire contract without having to match salary in the deal.

New York’s cap space could give Houston multiple paths. In a two-team scenario, if no contracts (or a very small amount) were exchanged and the Rockets stayed below the cap, they could create nearly $20 million in immediate cap room to use in this offseason’s free agency.

Meanwhile, if they took some salary back (enough to operate above the cap) but less than Westbrook’s roughly $40-million salary figure, Houston would generate a traded player exception (TPE) to cover the gap. That TPE, which allows them to take in a player at that amount or less without having to match salary, would last until the 2021 offseason.

Houston could also presumably get cheap assets from the Knicks, in the form of young prospects and/or future draft compensation. (Here’s a look at players and salaries that New York currently has under contract.)

Another option could be bringing in a third team looking to offload a larger contract, such as Cleveland with Kevin Love. While the rebuilding Cavaliers may not have interest in a 32-year-old Westbrook, they might be intrigued by the chance to offload a massive contract without having to take back any large salary that potentially clogs their salary books.

In theory, the same logic might apply to San Antonio with DeMar DeRozan and/or LaMarcus Aldridge, Detroit with Blake Griffin, or any rebuilding team potentially interested in moving a veteran’s large contract but without taking much money back. In those scenarios, both the third team and the Rockets could potentially generate a TPE of significance.

The Charlotte Hornets are also believed to be a trade suitor for Westbrook. However, they don’t currently have the ability to fully absorb his contract. That dynamic could make the Knicks more intriguing, if they make the final decision to move forward in their pursuit.

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Report: Charlotte emerges as Russell Westbrook trade suitor

The Rockets could take back as much as $50 million in salary from the Hornets, who have several intriguing veterans potentially available.

The Charlotte Hornets have emerged as a potential suitor for All-Star guard Russell Westbrook, who wants the Houston Rockets to trade him.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, Westbrook “has a desire to return to his prior floor-general role” from earlier seasons in Oklahoma City. That could make a destination such as Charlotte realistic, since there isn’t another All-Star guard in place (unlike Houston with James Harden).

As for the latest, here’s what Charania said on Thursday morning:

Sources tell me the Hornets have emerged as a potential suitor for Westbrook. There have been a couple other teams mentioned as a possibility for the one-time league MVP. But in Charlotte, there are movable veteran contracts, as well as the Jordan Brand connection for Westbrook [with Charlotte owner Michael Jordan].

So far in talks, the Rockets have been protective of both James Harden and Russell Westbrook, but there is plenty of time between now and Wednesday’s NBA Draft.

Based on the NBA’s rules for salary matching in trades, Houston could take back approximately $50 million at the high end of a transaction, should they trade Westbrook (who will make over $41 million next season). Those salaries could all come from one team, or it could be spread out, if the trade was expanded to include a third or fourth team.

Charlotte could also absorb part of Westbrook’s large contract into its available cap space, if the Rockets wanted to save money and get additional breathing room beneath the league’s luxury tax threshold.

If it was just a two-team deal involving the Rockets and Hornets (player salaries), potential assets in a transaction could include:

Terry Rozier, guard ($18.4 million per year, for two more seasons)
Nicolas Batum, forward ($27.1 million per year, for one season)
Cody Zeller, center ($15.4 million per year, for one season)
Malik Monk, guard ($5.3 million per year, for one season)

The Hornets also have the No. 3 overall selection in the Nov. 20 draft as a potential asset, though it’s unclear if they would move that premium pick for Westbrook — who turned 32 years old on Thursday.

The NBA’s moratorium on trades is expected to be lifted early next week, with free agency set to open on Friday, Nov. 20.

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Unlike Westbrook, James Harden remains committed to Rockets

James Harden remains committed to the Rockets and is “locked in” for the upcoming NBA season, per Shams Charania and Kelly Iko.

In contrast to co-star Russell Westbrook, who wants a trade, James Harden remains committed to the Houston Rockets and is “locked in” for the 2020-21 season, per Shams Charania and Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

“The Rockets are fully intending to continue building a title-contender around James Harden, and rival team officials tell The Athletic that the franchise has so far been protective of both Harden and Westbrook in trade discussions,” Charania writes.

Both Harden and Westbrook are under contract with the Rockets through at least the next two seasons, so the Rockets are not required to make a move — even if there is a trade request. But in Harden’s case, that doesn’t seem to be something that interests him at this time.

Now 31 years old, Harden is entering his ninth season with the Rockets and his 12th in the NBA. He’s led the NBA in scoring in each of the last three seasons (34.3 points per game in 2019-20), and he’s the only NBA player to be an MVP finalist and an All-NBA First Team member in each of the last four seasons. “The Beard” won the MVP award in 2018.

According to ESPN, both Harden and Westbrook have had concerns with Houston’s direction as a franchise after a turbulent offseason, which began with established GM Daryl Morey and head coach Mike D’Antoni each choosing to head elsewhere. They have since been replaced by Rafael Stone and Stephen Silas, respectively, with each lacking prior experience as the full-time guy in his new position.

But while Westbrook came to the conclusion that a change is necessary, his close friend appears to feel differently. (Again, it’s worth noting that Houston is not required to trade Westbrook, despite his current desire.)

The NBA is expected to lift its moratorium on offseason trades early next week, with 2020 free agency set to begin on Friday, Nov. 20.

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