Houston Rockets

Eric Gordon is under contract for the next three seasons, but the Houston Rockets guard would reportedly accept a trade since the team is currently rebuilding.

"While Gordon hasn’t approached management to ask for a trade, he’s open to moving to a more favorable situation," Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported.

The Rockets finished with an NBA-worst 17-55 record last season and used the No. 2 overall draft pick this year to select fellow shooting guard Jalen Green.

Other young players like Kevin Porter Jr., Jae'Sean Tate and Josh Christopher, the team's other first-round pick this year, could also see extra playing time in the backcourt if Gordon were dealt.

Gordon, meanwhile, has struggled with injuries and only played 63 games in the past two years combined. He appeared in 27 games in 2020-21 while dealing with knee and groin issues, although he is now back to full strength.

"Physically and mentally, I’m definitely in a good spot," he told Iko. "Looking forward to training camp with the team and don’t have to really worry about any setbacks or whatnot."

The 32-year-old remains an impact player when healthy, averaging 17.8 points per game last season. With a career average of 16.6 points per game and a 36.8 three-point percentage, Gordon is a quality perimeter scorer who could help a lot of teams offensively.

Gordon has $37.8 million owed over the next two seasons, plus a non-guaranteed $20.9 million salary in 2023-24, per Spotrac. This could be too rich for the Rockets as they look to get younger, but it might be worth it for a contender to take on the salary and add a boost to the rotation.  

The Houston Rockets and guard Dante Exum are nearing an agreement that could be worth up to $15 million over three years, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

Sources: Rockets and PG Dante Exum are close to agreeing to creatively structured deal that would be three years, nonguaranteed and heavy on incentives that fall under "likely bonuses" definition. Deal would be worth up to about $15M, roughly half of which would be incentives.

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) September 15, 2021

A severe right calf strain suffered Jan. 4, when Exum was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, eventually sidelined him for the remainder of the 2020-21 season.

Later that month, Exum was sent to the Rockets as part of a four-team deal that brought James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets.

The 26-year-old Australian has averaged 5.7 points on 40.7 percent shooting and 2.2 assists in 18.6 minutes per game for the Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers. Utah selected Exum with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft.

Exum played for the Australian national team during this year's Summer Olympics, averaging 9.0 points on 57.0 percent shooting, 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 20.6 minutes per game.

Australia went 3-0 in group play and defeated Argentina in the quarterfinals before losing to the United States in the semifinals.

Australia bounced back in the bronze-medal game with a win over Slovenia.

Exum's performance was certainly encouraging for a player who has suffered numerous injuries during his career, including an ACL tear that kept him out for the entire 2015-16 NBA season. He was also held to just 14 games in 2017-18 because of shoulder surgery.

Other injuries in more recent years include ankle sprains, a bone bruise and a partially torn patellar tendon.

Thankfully, Exum appears healthy and good to go for the 2021-22 season, and returning to the Rockets is a good fit for a young player who would rejoin a rebuilding team embarking on a new era after the Harden trade.

Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic reported earlier Tuesday that the Houston Rockets and point guard John Wall had mutually agreed to work together to find the five-time All-Star a new home. In addition, Wall would not play any games as his camp and the team worked on finding his next destination.

Now comes word from Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle that the Rockets will not be buying out the rest of Wall's contract. In addition, the Rockets are unlikely to move him before the 2021-22 trade deadline.

Wall averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists in 45 games for the Rockets last season. He is owed $44,310,840 for the 2021-22 season. Wall also has a $47,366,760 player option for 2022-23 before becoming a free agent.

The Rockets are in full rebuilding mode after the end of the James Harden era last January. They added four first-round draft picks: Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Usman Garuba and Josh Christopher.

Those players join a young and exciting roster that also includes Kevin Porter Jr., Jae'Sean Tate and Christian Wood.

Wall only played 73 games from the 2017-18 through 2019-20 seasons because of injury, including none in the latter year.

He's still a very productive player despite missing so much time, but Wall is probably a better fit on a contending team at this stage of his 12-year career as the Rockets' young players develop.

Houston also has a lot of cap space for the future. The Rockets notably have just $11,039,067 committed for the 2023-24 season, so they could add some key pieces around their young core en route to becoming title contenders again.

Ultimately, a parting of ways between Wall and the Rockets makes sense for both sides. Wall can find a team that he can contribute to as he searches for his first NBA Finals appearance, and the Rockets can fully jump into a new era featuring their young, potential stars as they look to bounce back from finishing last in the Western Conference.

John Wall and the Houston Rockets have reportedly "agreed on working together to find a new home for the five-time All-Star guard," according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. 

Per that report, Wall will "remain present" around the team at training camp as it seeks a trade, but he will not appear in regular-season games. 

Charania noted that "Houston officials explained to Wall the direction of the franchise and that the team wants to protect the veteran guard’s health."

NBA sources confirm @ShamsCharania report that the Rockets and John Wall are mutually working together to find a better fit for him. Sources say John Wall has not asked to be traded. According to sources the five-time All-Star simply isn’t part of the Rockets long-term plans.

— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) September 14, 2021

The Rockets are clearly rebuilding around young players like Jalen Green, Christian Wood, Kevin Porter Jr., Alperen Sengun, Josh Christopher, Jae’Sean Tate, Kenyon Martin Jr. and Usman Garuba, among others. A 31-year-old veteran like Wall doesn't fit within those plans. 

Even if the #Rockets struggle to find a trade partner for John Wall, having him sit out is HUGE for Kevin Porter Jr’s development as the primary PG.

It’s also ideal for Jalen Green to play his natural position at SG instead of awkwardly cramming Wall/KPJ/Green into one lineup.

— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) September 14, 2021

Don't expect a buyout, however. Charania reported there are "no buyout plans on the two years and $91.7 million remaining on Wall’s contract—including a $47.4 million player option for the 2022-23 season."

Wall was solid when he played last year, averaging 20.6 points, 6.9 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 32.2 minutes across 40 games.

For John Wall's sake, I'm hoping he gets back on a basketball court sooner than later. He's not inclined to take a buyout but a trade feels unlikely. Already lost two seasons of his prime because of injury & battled all the way back to play again. Needs to keep playing, not sit.

— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) September 14, 2021

But because of his massive contract, the veteran point guard is likely seen as a negative asset around the NBA.

The Rockets will have to take back some similarly undesirable contracts to deal Wall. They might even have to part with some second-round picks or heavily protected firsts.

Whether Wall actually gets traded may come down to how comfortable the front office is with that outcome. 

Monta Ellis reportedly made a second stop in Texas this week as he tries to make an NBA comeback.

According to Alykhan Bijani of The Athletic, Ellis worked out for the Houston Rockets.

The Athletic's Shams Charania had reported that Ellis worked out for the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday along with fellow free-agent guards Isaiah Thomas and Lance Stephenson.

Ellis first announced his intentions in an interview with Alder Almo of Empire Sports Media last month:

All Monta Ellis wanted is a shot. He’s willing to work his way back to the #NBA. Here’s an excerpt of my interview with him. Check out my story on his latest attempt at NBA comeback.⤵️ https://t.co/2PxqHAK98V pic.twitter.com/hce4HWvOrb

— alder almo (@alderalmo) August 10, 2021

The 35-year-old Ellis has not played since 2017.

Ellis entered the NBA in 2005 as a second-round pick of the Golden State Warriors out of high school. He played 12 seasons with the Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Mavericks and Indiana Pacers.

He was a highly productive offensive player throughout his career, averaging 20 or more points per game in a season four times and 18.9 points per game in eight of his campaigns.

Ellis appeared in 833 regular-season games, averaging 17.8 points, 4.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 31.4 percent from three-point range.

The 2006-07 NBA Most Improved Player joined the Pacers for his final two seasons, and his production dipped to 8.5 points, 3.2 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 74 games in 2016-17. He shot 44.3 percent overall and 31.9 percent from three.

Ellis could be a useful bench player if he has maintained some of the trademark explosiveness he displayed throughout his career.

With Houston, Ellis would be looked upon to serve as a veteran leader on a young, rebuilding team that finished with the worst record in the NBA last season.

Ellis could serve as a mentor for guard Jalen Green, who was the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft.

The Luka Doncic-led Mavericks have reached the playoffs in each of the past two seasons and are prime candidates to go from a playoff team to a championship contender.

Ellis could provide backcourt depth along with Trey Burke, Jalen Brunson, Sterling Brown and second-year man Josh Green.

The Houston Rockets are going to be bad this season. Very, very bad.

There's no nice way to put it, nor is there any alternative universe in which this team is any good. 

This, of course, is by design. The clock is already ticking on the Rockets' rebuild. They owe their first-round picks in 2024 and 2026 to the Oklahoma City Thunder (protected 1-4) for the ill-fated Russell Westbrook trade.

That gives Houston two more guaranteed cracks in the lottery before things get dicey. The Rockets hope they found their first cornerstone with Jalen Green, and they swung for the fences with Alperen Sengun, Usman Garuba and Josh Christopher with their three other first-round picks.

Christian Wood and Kevin Porter Jr. are already promising young players, so there's a real chance Houston is already cooking a fast-rebuild stew.

If we were living in a 2K world, the Rockets could be bad this season, throw some untapped potential badges on their young guys and be set for a loaded roster by 2024. 

Real life isn't 2K, though. Odds are at least two of Sengun, Garuba and Christopher will fail to develop into NBA contributors; that's just the nature of the league's top-heavy draft. Wood and Porter are promising but both have glaring flaws and personality conflicts with past teams.

Here's a look at what to expect from the Rockets this season.

            

2021-22 Houston Rockets Season Details

Season Opener: at Minnesota Timberwolves, Oct. 20, 8 p.m. ET

Championship Odds: +25000 (FanDuel)

Schedule: NBA.com

         

Top Matchups

Detroit Pistons

It's the No. 1 vs. the No. 2 pick. There's really not much more you need to say. Every year this matchup has a high level of intrigue because that's just the way things work.

That said, this particular matchup is a little more interesting given how hard the Rockets reportedly tried trading up to take Cade Cunningham. The implication here is that Houston brass felt so strongly about the 19-year-old being a better player than Green that it was willing to mortgage part of the haul the team received for James Harden to make the deal happen.

The Rockets may be very happy with Green, but make no mistake: They wanted Cunningham, badly.

That adds an extra little layer to the head-to-head battle here, which should be thrilling enough from straight basketball terms.

This should be one of the best matchups between bad teams we see all season.

         

Brooklyn Nets

We already got a glimpse of the mixed reaction Harden would receive from fans in March. It just wasn't a full arena reaction.

We'll get that when the Nets travel to Houston for a December 8 matchup that probably won't be watchable after the opening tip. The Nets are heavy title favorites and will probably skate to the Larry O'Brien Trophy if Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving stay healthy.

Do yourself a favor: Watch the first quarter or so for the Harden reactions and then flip over to another game when the blowout gets going.

           

Season Forecast

The Rockets aren't going to be good. 

They are, however, going to be very watchable. I would expect Houston to be at or near the top of the league in pace, and Green might immediately jump into the league as a 20-point scorer.

This is going to be a very watchable, yet very horrible team. There will probably be a couple of nights when opposing teams run up 140-150 points because there is no scenario in which this roster will find any coherence on defense.

Expect a lot of 135-120 losses.

Record Prediction: 22-60

   

Must be 21+ and present in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, West Virginia, Colorado, or Tennessee. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. See sportsbook.fanduel.com for details.

Jalen Green wasn't picked No. 1 overall in the 2021 NBA draft, but he says he is happy he ended up going second overall to the Houston Rockets.

"I wanted to be the No. 1 pick, but as for the location, I didn't want to be in Detroit," Green told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. "I felt a lot more comfortable in Houston. It felt like a real homie environment. With Detroit, it felt like I was just going back to the G League bubble, and I just got out of the bubble. That’s pretty much what it was."

Green bypassed college and instead spent last season with the G League Ignite, which played a 15-game season inside a bubble in Florida amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He compared this to the lack of excitement in Detroit.

"I wouldn’t be stepping outside in Detroit. There are not many things you can do in Detroit like that," Green added. "You’re going to stay in the gym and then go back to your apartment."

The 19-year-old visited both Detroit and Houston for workouts ahead of the 2021 NBA draft.

Of course, the recent comments could simply be a way to get back at the franchise that passed on him to select Cade Cunningham No. 1 overall.

Before the draft, Green indicated he was hoping to go to the Pistons. 

"Number one pick, that would be a dream come true," he told Tyler R. Tynes of GQ. "I want to live in Detroit."

He ended up in Houston and will now try to prove that Detroit made a mistake by not selecting him.

Green scored 25 points in a Summer League win over the Pistons and averaged 20.3 points per game during three exhibition appearances. He showcased this scoring ability last year in the G League, averaging 17.9 points in 15 games.

The 6'6" guard will hope to keep this going while helping a Rockets team that finished 17-55 last season.  

Houston Rockets rookie guard Jalen Green left Thursday's Summer League matchup versus Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors with a sore right hamstring, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. 

That ended his night after he posted 13 points and three boards in 12 minutes. 

"Yeah it's pretty much caution," Rockets head coach Stephen Silas said on NBA TV regarding Green's removal from the game (h/t Mark Berman of Fox 26). "He just felt a little tightness. So we're gonna be extra careful and have him back there getting some treatment. We have two days off between this game and our next. So we'll see how he's doing." 

Houston Rockets rookie Jalen Green — as a precaution — will likely be held out of the remainder of Summer League due to right hamstring soreness, league sources tell @YahooSports.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) August 13, 2021

Barnes wasn't much luckier, limping to the locker room in the first half with a left ankle injury, per Blake Murphy of The Athletic, though he returned to the game in the second half.

Green, the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft, has been balling during Summer League. He put up 23 points and five boards in his debut against the Cleveland Cavaliers, showing his natural and explosive scoring ability. 

Jalen Green’s shotmaking at this age is ridiculous.

— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) August 13, 2021

He was even better in Houston's matchup against the Detroit Pistons and top overall pick Cade Cunningham, going off for 25 points, five rebounds and three assists. 

Green took that matchup personally. 

Jalen Green was chirping at Cade after draining this three 🍿

(via @NBATV)https://t.co/vuWUTIiOY9

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 11, 2021

"My chip is super big. It started at draft night when I got drafted number 2. I felt I was number 1."

Jalen Green on having a chip on his shoulder https://t.co/nbwaGYpiNh

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 11, 2021

Thus far, the Rockets have to be pretty pleased with their selection. 

Granted, let's not put Green in the Hall of Fame just yet. Shotmakers generally pop in Summer League, where players don't have as much of an opportunity to develop chemistry or put in a full offensive or defensive game plan. There's more individual play as a result. Green may come back down to earth a bit once the real games start. 

But it's still a make-or-miss league, and Green is making his looks in the Summer League. His upside and potential are clear. At the very least, he looks like an early contender for Rookie of the Year.  

Houston Rockets rookie guard Jalen Green went into Tuesday's NBA Summer League game against the Detroit Pistons with something to prove, and he acknowledged after the 111-91 win that he had a chip on his shoulder.

Speaking to ESPN after the game, Green said he felt he should have been the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft rather than No. 2:

"My chip is super big. It started at draft night when I got drafted number 2. I felt I was number 1."

Jalen Green on having a chip on his shoulder https://t.co/nbwaGYpiNh

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 11, 2021

Green and the Rockets went up against the Pistons and No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham on Tuesday, which provided Green with an opportunity to show the Pistons what they missed out on.

He was undoubtedly the best player on the court Tuesday, going 6-for-11 from the field for 25 points with five rebounds and three assists.

While Green stole the show, Cunningham was solid in his own right, leading the Pistons with 20 points on 8-of-18 shooting and contributing four rebounds, three steals and two assists as well.

Both Green and Cunningham have shown flashes of brilliance during Summer League play and given off the impression that they could be perennial All-Stars, but they will always be compared to each other for the remainder of their careers.

Regardless of what happened Tuesday, it is difficult to blame the Pistons for taking Cunningham, as he was widely viewed as the consensus No. 1 overall pick.

In his one and only collegiate season at Oklahoma State, Cunningham averaged 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.3 three-pointers made and 1.6 steals per game, while leading the Cowboys to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Green took a different route to the NBA, bypassing college in favor of the NBA G League's Ignite team. On a team stacked with potential NBA prospects, Green stood out as Ignite's top player.

In 15 games, he averaged 17.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.1 three-pointers made and 1.5 steals.

Since Green had the opportunity to play with and against some players with NBA experience, it can be argued that he is the more NBA-ready prospect right now than Cunningham.

If that is indeed the case, it comes as little surprise that Green got one up on Cunningham and the Pistons on Tuesday night.

Cunningham will have his opportunities to bounce back against Green and the Rockets during the regular season, and NBA fans are eagerly anticipating the 2021-22 schedule release to see when the top two picks in the 2021 draft will clash in a game that matters. 

The top two picks in this year's NBA draft, Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green, faced off  Tuesday night when the Detroit Pistons played the Houston Rockets in Summer League action. 

And they didn't disappoint. 

The Rockets earned the 111-91 win behind Green's 25 points, five rebounds and three assists in what was a fun matchup. Cunningham equally showed out in the loss, posting 20 points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists. 

While Cunningham and Green received top billing, Houston's Alperen Sengun made his mark as well, putting up 21 points and eight rebounds. He's shaping up to be a real steal for the Rockets. 

SENGUN SOARIN' ✈️

Alperen Sengun is putting on a clinic against the Pistons! pic.twitter.com/CEwhC4ujC7

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) August 11, 2021

But we're here for the Cunningham and Green highlights. They're the top two picks, after all. And there were plenty. 

Cunningham showed off some sizzle from deep, and some leadership throughout the game too:

Cade Cunningham connects from beyond the arc early! #NBASummer

Watch the TOP 2 PICKS now on ESPN pic.twitter.com/fdUEP2kw44

— NBA (@NBA) August 11, 2021

Cade Cunningham attacks to score.
Cade Cunningham attacks to dish.

The No. 1 pick is doing it all for the @DetroitPistons on ESPN! #NBASummer pic.twitter.com/6yqclpNaCr

— NBA (@NBA) August 11, 2021

Cade with the cross and finish vs. Jalen Green 🤭

(via @NBASummerLeague) pic.twitter.com/FZ6Jy5RQ6D

— ESPN (@espn) August 11, 2021

Cade Cunningham puts his defender in the spin cycle 🌀 pic.twitter.com/Wa013VeoBv

— ESPN (@espn) August 11, 2021

Leading the way... listen in to No. 1 pick @CadeCunningham_ mic'd up for the @DetroitPistons! #NBASummer

2nd half is underway on ESPN pic.twitter.com/znpUwii1Ik

— NBA (@NBA) August 11, 2021

Of course, Green was not to be outdone:

No. 2 pick Jalen Green is getting going in the 2nd quarter on ESPN! @HoustonRockets x #NBASummer pic.twitter.com/NSJalPURrQ

— NBA (@NBA) August 11, 2021

Jalen Green for three. CASH. @brhoops

(via @NBATV)https://t.co/rS6ljgifsL

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 11, 2021

Jalen Green was chirping at Cade after draining this three 🍿

(via @NBATV)https://t.co/vuWUTIiOY9

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 11, 2021

The two offer a stark contrast in many ways. Cunningham is smooth and silky, plays at his own pace and keeps his teammates involved. He's as natural a facilitator as he is a scorer and is rarely rushed. It's not hard to see why he was the top overall pick. 

If I’m the Pistons, Cade Cunningham is bringing the ball up the floor every single possession. I understand that he can space the floor as a spot up shooter and add some off ball value but planting him in the corner doesn’t seem like the recipe for success.

— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) August 11, 2021

But Green is explosive. He was born to score the rock. He attacks downhill well. He had some struggles (four turnovers in all) when the Pistons threw traps and double teams at him—yes, they were throwing traps and double teams at him in a Summer League game—while Killian Hayes took his defensive assignment against Green personally. 

But through it all, Green still put up points and got the win.

man, this is going to be such a fascinating ROY race. Cunningham does all the things that make teams better and Jalen Green’s just going to put up so many numbers.

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) August 11, 2021

I’ll say in again this Draft Class of 2021 is SPECIAL!!! We are just seeing a sample size right now...just wait until the season comes around! Carry the hell on...

— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) August 11, 2021

There are going to be other rookies who flash this season. But if Summer League is any indication, the Rookie of the Year award this year will be decided between Cunningham and Green. Both are more than ready for this stage.