Tag: Sergio Llull

Rockets trade Austin Rivers, Sergio Llull for prospect Issuf Sanon

The Knicks will also receive the draft rights to Tadija Dragicevic and Alex Hervelle, while Houston generates a small trade exception.

The Houston Rockets are signing and trading Austin Rivers to New York, along with the international rights to Sergio Llull, Tadija Dragicevic, and Alex Hervelle, in exchange for the draft rights to combo guard Issuf Sanon. Now 21 years old, Sanon was a second-round draft pick in 2018.

While Rivers had agreed to the contract with the Knicks several days ago, the Rockets still had “early Bird” contractual rights to Rivers after his two seasons with the team. In Friday’s deal, Houston used those rights to sign Rivers to the contract (worth up to $10 million over three years) before trading the veteran guard to his desired destination.

For New York, this allowed them to avoid having to use cap space to sign Rivers. Meanwhile, Houston benefits by recouping minor assets for a player who otherwise would’ve left for no compensation.

The Rockets will also generate a small traded player exception (TPE) in the deal, which can be used until an equivalent point in the 2021 NBA offseason. TPEs allow NBA teams to take in a player of that salary or lower via trade, even if they are above the salary cap (which the Rockets are). It can also be used to facilitate waiver claims at that amount or less.

The TPE from the Rivers trade is likely to be worth just under $2.2 million, according to salary cap expert David Weiner of ClutchFans.

The value of the TPE, though, is in the same ballpark as the NBA’s minimum salary — which makes it fairly inconsequential. The larger prize is Sanon, a 6-foot-4 Ukrainian guard from who was drafted No. 44 overall in 2018. Here’s his scouting report by Sports Illustrated‘s Jeremy Woo:

“Sanon is an attractive stash candidate who seems likely to earn an NBA opportunity in due time,” writes Woo, who compared Sanon to Jordan Crawford. “Scouts love his hard-nosed approach to the game.”

Sanon’s strengths, according to Woo’s 2018 draft report, are athleticism, transition play, and defensive effort. Meanwhile, weaknesses include an inconsistent 3-point shot and playmaking as a point guard.

Sanon played in the NBA Summer League in 2018 and 2019, which would appear to signal some interest on his part in eventually coming to the NBA. (There was no summer league in 2020, owing to COVID-19.)

As for the draft rights headed to New York, Llull is now 33 years old and appears unwilling to leave Spain for the NBA. The Rockets had held his rights since 2009. Dragicevic and Hervelle are 34 and 37, respectively, so it’s even less likely for either of those two to make the leap than it is for Llull. Both power forwards are currently playing in Europe.

Sanon, however, has plenty of time still left to make a move. That makes him (and the TPE) a worthwhile acquisition for Rockets GM Rafael Stone, given that Rivers was already poised to leave, no matter what.

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Sergio Llull wants to stay with Real Madrid after contract expires

Though Llull’s contract is up in 2021, he still isn’t showing any desire to move to the NBA. The Rockets have held his rights since 2009.

For over 10 years, Spanish guard Sergio Llull has resisted any temptation of moving to the NBA. Though his latest contract with Real Madrid finally expires after the 2020-21 season, Llull still doesn’t sound open to a potential move to the Houston Rockets — who hold his NBA rights.

“My intention is to continue [with Real Madrid], in whatever position they want,” Llull said in a recent interview, as translated from Spanish to English by Eurohoops.net. “I am very calm, there is no rush. I am focused on having a good season and continue helping to win titles.”

The Rockets first acquired Llull’s NBA rights during the 2009 NBA Draft. They nearly lured him to Houston in July 2015, but the versatile combo guard opted to stay near home and play for Real Madrid, where he’s still considered among the top international players not in the NBA.

Llull inked a record six-year contract extension in July 2015, and he’s referenced that contract in the past when explaining his decisions to turn down the Rockets. However, even with that contract soon coming to an end, it doesn’t appear that anything is likely to change.

Now 32 years old, Llull’s prime years are largely behind him. However, a late-career move isn’t unprecedented, as shown by Argentinian guard Pablo Prigioni — who made his NBA debut at 35 years old in 2012. Two seasons later, Prigioni joined the Rockets late in the 2014-15 campaign and became a valued rotation piece during the 2015 playoffs.

The Rockets reportedly continue to check in with Llull, who has said in the past that he’s not closing the door to the NBA. However, time is no longer on his side, especially if he signs a new contract in Spain.

At Llull’s relatively advanced age, his international rights probably don’t have much trade value for the Rockets — especially with Llull continuing to not show interest in making a move. As a result, Houston GM Daryl Morey may have no other option other than staying the course.

In three games with Real Madrid to begin the new 2020-21 season, Llull is averaging 10.0 points (44.0% shooting) in 19.0 minutes per game.

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Rockets continue to check in with Spanish guard Sergio Llull

Now 32 years old, Houston still holds the NBA rights to Spanish guard Sergio Llull — and they continue to check in on his interest.

For more than 10 years, Spanish guard Sergio Llull has resisted the temptation to move to the NBA. But even at 32 years old, the Rockets still aren’t giving up hope of bringing him to Houston.

The Rockets first acquired Llull’s NBA rights during the 2009 NBA Draft. They nearly lured him to Houston in July 2015, but Spaniard opted to stay home and play for Real Madrid, where he’s still considered by some to be the best international player not in the NBA.

In a new interview with Bleacher Report, Marko Radovanovic — director of global scouting for the Rockets — says Houston still checks in with Llull.

From the story:

Still, Radovanovic believes there’s a place for the veteran in Houston, which checks in with Llull regularly to see if he’s changed his mind. “At this point, it would have to be more of a role-player deal,” Radovanovic says. “Like a Pablo Prigioni-type deal. Sergio is 32 and making good money over there, but we would love to have him carve out a role.”

Prigioni made his NBA debut at 35 years old during the 2012-13 season. Two years later, he was a member of the Rockets late in the 2014-15 campaign and during the 2015 NBA playoffs.

In theory, Llull wouldn’t have to wait that long. His contract with Real Madrid expires in 2021, though the buyout figure reportedly isn’t too big, if Houston wanted to engage in talks earlier. In an interview last spring, Rockets GM Daryl Morey didn’t rule out the possibility.

Llull is averaging 9.9 points in 19.4 minutes per game this season. According to Radovanovic, even at 32 years old and after sustaining a torn ACL in 2017, Houston still sees Llull as a potential fit:

Llull is a perfect fit for our system. He speeds up the game; he sparks up the entire team. Obviously, some things have changed. But our philosophy is to never give up. He could carve out a role. He would be a great spark off the bench.

In an interview last summer with Diario AS, Llull addressed the subject of a potential move to the NBA.

Llull said (as translated by Eurohoops.net):

I am not closing the door. I actually appreciate [the] Houston Rockets’ interest every year and also the fact they respect my decision, because they have never pressured me. They are always nice to me, accepting my wishes.

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At the moment, there wouldn’t seem to be much of a role for Llull with the Rockets, since established guards James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Eric Gordon are all under contract for at least two more seasons after the current 2019-20 league year. Reserve guard Ben McLemore is under team control for the 2020-21 campaign, as well.

Nonetheless, rosters can change quickly in the NBA, and it seems Morey isn’t completely writing off Llull as an option moving forward.