The Rockets have declined their option for Jordan Hill for the 12-13 season.

"They did not pick it up," his agent Kevin Bradbury said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports. "I think for Jordan it'll be an opportunity for him to test the free agent market.

"Obviously as long as he continues to play the way he's playing, there'll be a market for him out there."

Hill would have made $3.632 million next year.

Marcus Morris said he hopes to return to the Rockets when he is fully recovered from an ankle injury, but general manager Daryl Morey said no decision will be made about Morris’ return.

“They haven’t told me anything yet,” Morris said. “Hopefully I’ll stay here. I feel like I’ve done my part down there. They might still want me to play because I was out.”

Morris averaged 29.7 points and 12.3 rebounds in the three D-League games with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

“I’m getting better,” Morris said. “Hopefully in a week or so I’ll be 100 percent. Things like that happened. It was disappointing because I felt I was on a good streak. I was playing real well. Rebounding real well.”

Rockets second-round pick Chandler Parsons has started eight of the Rockets’ first fourteen games while averaging 7 points and 5.6 rebounds.

“I was amazed at Chandler,” coach Kevin McHale said. “When he got to practice for the first time, he made as few mistakes as anybody on the floor just from watching. This kid is really smart. Normally, you have to have repetition, repetition, repetition. Chandler was just one of those guys who gets it.

“He’s just a high-energy guy. He can stay in front of people. He understands angles. He’s a very bright player with a really good basketball IQ."

Parsons isn’t surprised by his fast progress.

“It’s more shocking how it all happened, going second round, going overseas, not having summer league, signing late,” Parsons said. “And then it happened so quickly. That shocked me. I’m not surprised with how I’m playing.

“I’m just trying to bring the team another element of energy and defense.”

Rockets guard Courtney Lee has missed seven games with a strained calf, but could play as soon as Monday against the Wizards.

Lee has gone through rigorous pregame workouts before the past two games.

“I had to teach myself how to walk, how to run, how to do everything again,” Lee, 26, said. “The muscle was so weak. It went from me not being able to walk off the court when I got injured, to me not being able to walk normal,to me being able to walk normal, to me not being able to walk without the pain to me being able to walk now without the pain.

“I’m now able to take strides, run. When I can do what they ask me to do without pain, I’m playing.

“It’s not even pain. It’s like a bite. When I get out there without that, I’m going.”

The NBA announced the 2012 All-Star Ballot on Wednesday.

The 120 players on the ballot were selected by a panel of media who regularly cover the NBA: Bill Simmons (Grantland), Sekou Smith (NBA.com), Doug Smith (Toronto Star/PBWA), and Ian Thomsen (Sports Illustrated). 

The following is a team-by-team list:

Atlanta (4): Joe Johnson, Al Horford, Jeff Teague, Josh Smith

Boston (5): Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Brandon Bass

Charlotte (4): D.J. Augustin, Kemba Walker, Boris Diaw, Corey Maggette

Chicago (5): Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng, Richard Hamilton

Cleveland (3): Kyrie Irving, Antwan Jamison, Anderson Varejao

Dallas (5): Dirk Nowitzki, Lamar Odom, Shawn Marion, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry

Denver (5): Ty Lawson, Arron Afflalo, Andre Miller, Nene, Danilo Gallinari

Detroit (4): Greg Monroe, Rodney Stuckey, Jonas Jerebko, Tayshaun Prince

Golden State (3): Stephen Curry, Monta Ellis, David Lee

Houston (4): Kyle Lowry, Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, Samuel Dalembert

Indiana (6): David West, Danny Granger, Tyler Hansbrough, Roy Hibbert, Paul George, Darren Collison

L.A. Clippers (4): Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups, DeAndre Jordan

L.A. Lakers (4): Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Metta World Peace

Memphis (4): Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, Rudy Gay, Mike Conley

Miami (4): LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Joel Anthony

Milwaukee (3): Andrew Bogut, Brandon Jennings, Stephen Jackson

Minnesota (3): Kevin Love, Michael Beasley, Ricky Rubio

New Jersey (3): Deron Williams, Kris Humphries, Anthony Morrow

New Orleans (4): Eric Gordon, Carl Landry, Chris Kaman, Emeka Okafor

New York (3): Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler

Oklahoma City (5): Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins

Orlando (4): Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu

Philadelphia (5): Jrue Holiday, Thaddeus Young, Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand, Spencer Hawes

Phoenix (3): Steve Nash, Grant Hill, Marcin Gortat

Portland (6): LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews, Raymond Felton, Gerald Wallace, Marcus Camby, Nicolas Batum

Sacramento (3): Tyreke Evans, DeMarcus Cousins, Marcus Thornton

San Antonio (3): Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili

Toronto (3): Andrea Bargnani, DeMar DeRozan, Jose Calderon

Utah (4): Derrick Favors, Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Devin Harris

Washington (4): John Wall, Nick Young, JaVale McGee, Andray Blatche

The Houston Rockets assigned Marcus Morris to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ NBA D-League affiliate, it was announced.  

It marks the first assignment for Morris.

Morris (6-9, 235) is in his rookie season and has appeared in three games this season with the Rockets.

Morris was selected by the Rockets with the 14th overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft out of Kansas.

Hornets general manager Dell Demps reiterated his support for Commissioner David Stern, saying Saturday there “was never a deal in place” to send Chris Paul to the Lakers.

Stern had taken heat for his role in nixing the first proposed trade of Paul to the Lakers, facing claims of potential conflicts of interest to hampering the team’s pursuit of free agents. Stern said he was trying to do what was best for New Orleans.

Demps said there wasn’t an agreement with the Lakers on money, which “was a huge part of the trade.”

“Things got overblown,” Demps said. “The first trade for Chris Paul, it was never completed. The commissioner’s office is getting unfairly portrayed. It escalated because the owner was David Stern and the player was Chris Paul. It was never submitted to the NBA. It was moving along but it was never finalized. There was never a deal in place.”