March 2013 Houston Rockets Wiretap

Rockets' Officials Insisting Omer Asik Isn't Available In Trade

Oct 31, 2013 12:57 PM

The Houston Rockets have privately insisted Omer Asik is not available in trade as long as the big man continues to play well alongside Dwight Howard.

Despite Asik's reported desire of a trade over the offseason, the Rockets have kept him and started him with Howard in the frontcourt.

Howard and Asik combined for 40 rebounds in the Rockets' season opening win against the Charlotte Bobcats, who as a team grabbed 37 rebounds.

Marc Stein/ESPN

Tags: Omer Asik, Houston Rockets, NBA, NBA Trade Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

Discuss
Harden: We're Ready For Increased Expectations

Oct 30, 2013 12:24 PM

James Harden believes the Houston Rockets are prepared to deal with the raised expectations and scrutiny that comes with acquiring a player of Dwight Howard's caliber after reaching the playoffs last season.

“Good. We’re ready for it,” Harden said. “Each individual guy got better this summer and is ready to take on that pressure.”

“We don’t pay attention to all that going on,” Chandler Parsons said. “We know how good our team can be, and we know our guys are going to work. We understand that nothing is going to be given to us. When we lose some games — and we will lose some games — the media is going to talk about how we are not that good and not championship contenders. You don’t even see people picking us now to win it all. We are just going to go out there and play. We know what we have to do.

“There is so much more hype around it. We have never had James Harden and Dwight Howard on our team, so there is more attention. But I can tell you those guys have worked just as hard as anyone I played with in my first two years, so there is no real difference except the preseason hype, which is pretty much irrelevant anyway.”

Jonathan Feigen/Houston Chronicle

Tags: James Harden, Houston Rockets, NBA

Discuss
B.J. Young Signing With Rockets' D-League Team After Interest From Lakers, 76ers

Oct 28, 2013 7:13 PM

Free agent guard B.J. Young – a recent release of the Rockets – will sign a deal with Houston’s D-League team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, a league source told RealGM.

Young was released by the Rockets early in training camp, but the former Arkansas standout received interest from the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadlephia 76ers before deciding to join the Rockets’ burgeoning pipeline of young talent, a league source said.

Daryl Morey has stockpiled several talented players to place into the Rockets’ developmental system, which will also include the recently waived Troy Daniels.

After averaging over 15 points and three assists in his sophomore season at the Unviersity of Arkansas, Young, 20, went undrafted in June’s NBA draft.

Young played for the Rockets in summer league, displaying moments of explosiveness averaging nearly 12 points on 51.6 percent shooting and two assists.

Shams Charania/RealGM

Tags: B.J. Young, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia Sixers, Rio Grande Valley Vipers, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, D-League, D-League Teams, D-League Signing Rumor, D-League Misc Rumor

Discuss
Rockets Cut Reggie Williams

Oct 28, 2013 12:36 PM

Reggie Williams was the final cut for the Houston Rockets on Monday.

"I want to thank the @HoustonRockets organization for the opportunity !!!! #RedNation," wrote Williams on Twitter.

Williams played in just two preseason games for the Rockets, averaging 4.5 points in 14.3 minutes per game.

Williams appeared in 40 games last season with the Charlotte Bobcats.

RealGM Staff Report

Tags: Reggie Williams, Houston Rockets, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA Waiver

Discuss
Rockets To Waive Marcus Camby

Oct 27, 2013 4:04 PM

The Houston Rockets will release Marcus Camby on Monday.

Camby has been injured with a torn plantar fascia tissue and plans to continue rehabilitating in hopes of returning to the NBA this season.

“Without a doubt, Marcus plans to rehab next few months and come back and play this season for the Rockets or somebody,” agent Rick Kaplan said.

Camby, 39, has a fully-guaranteed one-year contract worth $1.4 million ($884,000 will count against the Rockets salary cap.)

The Rockets will have to make one more move cut to the roster to get down to 15 by Monday’s 4 p.m. deadline. Guard Reggie Williams was the only healthy player that did not play Friday in Memphis.

Jonathan Feigen/Houston Chronicle

Tags: Marcus Camby, Houston Rockets, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA Injury, NBA Waiver

Discuss
Rockets Responsible For Paying Royce White's $1.7M Contract

Oct 25, 2013 11:18 AM

The Philadelphia 76ers released Royce White on Thursday and the Houston Rockets will be responsible for paying his $1.7 million contract.

White was traded to the Rockets to the 76ers in July.

Keith Pompey/Philadelphia Inquirer

Tags: Royce White, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA Waiver

Discuss
McHale: Bringing Dwight Up To Speed 'Like Easing Into Mercedes'

Oct 25, 2013 11:04 AM

Kevin McHale said that it has been very easy to bring Dwight Howard into the mix with the Houston Rockets during the preseason.

“It’s like easing into a Mercedes,” McHale said. “If you can drive, it’s not a bad way to go.”

Howard had 15 points and 16 rebounds in 30 minutes on Thursday against the San Antonio Spurs.

Jonathan Feigen/Houston Chronicle

Tags: Dwight Howard, Houston Rockets, NBA, NBA B-Ball IQ

Discuss
Durant 'Here For Thunder', Not Thinking About 2016 Free Agency

Oct 24, 2013 11:30 AM

Kevin Durant was asked on Wednesday to respond to comments by ESPN's Jalen Rose about the possibility of him signing with the Houston Rockets after the 15-16 season.

Rose believes Russell Westbrook will leave the Oklahoma City Thunder to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers and join Kevin Love.

"Nah, I’m here for the Thunder (laughs)," said Durant. "I mean, that’s all I can say. I’m not thinking far down the line at all. It’s about today. Today we got better against the Chicago Bulls. I can’t tell the future. I can’t speak on that. That’s his opinion. I’m just going to keep playing for the Thunder. I love playing here."

Durant expects speculation about his free agency to continue over the past three seasons.

"I mean, just let them know I’m not thinking that far down the line, I guess. I mean, I love my teammates. I love where I live. I love playing for this organization. So I’m just taking it a day at a time."

Darnell Mayberry/Oklahoman

Tags: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

Discuss
Rockets Committed To Figuring Out Jumbo Lineup Of Howard, Asik

Oct 22, 2013 12:41 PM

Dwight Howard and Omer Asik played 15 minutes together on Monday as the Houston Rockets experimented with their big lineup against the Dallas Mavericks.

The Rockets showed some flashes of quality with the pairing, but they also struggled with rotations on defense and spacing on offense.

"There's a lot of unknowns," Kevin McHale said. "They're both diligent. They're both intelligent. They both have really good instincts defensively. That should work defensively. Offensively, it maybe jammed up a little bit more. They'll figure it out.

"I played that way with bigs. I've seen it work before."

The Rockets looked far more fluid with their small lineup.

"That's also a more comfortable, faster, more exciting style of play, so it looks better," Chandler Parsons said. "But it's good to be able to go with Dwight and Omer, especially against bigger teams."

The Rockets, however, are committed to continuing to experiment with the big lineup.

Jonathan Feigen/Houston Chronicle

Tags: Omer Asik, Dwight Howard, Houston Rockets, NBA, NBA B-Ball IQ

Discuss
Dwight Inspired By 'You Have To Endure' From 'The Dark Knight Rises' In Leaving Lakers

Oct 18, 2013 1:51 PM

Dwight Howard attempted to develop a Superman persona early in his career with the Orlando Magic, but he drew from 'The Dark Knight Rises' in his decision to leave the Los Angeles Lakers to sign with the Houston Rockets.

"I actually wrote (them) down and can tell it to you — it's from Batman," Howard tells USA TODAY Sports. "Batman and Alfred were having a discussion, and Batman didn't like what was going on and he felt like the best thing he could do was just hide.

"Alfred told him, 'You have to endure it. You have to take it. People will hate you for it, but that's the point of being a legend. You can be that outcast. You can make the choice that no one else can make, and that's the right choice.' "

The Rockets were able to provide a situation for Howard with a core of players closer to him in age and also may be even closer to competing for a title.

"I kind of took that with me in this situation in L.A.," he continues. "It was hard, something that most people wouldn't have done, because they're looking at the whole situation and people are going to think that I'm running (from the pressure), and people are going to think this or that.

"But I'm like, 'Man, I want to be this legend, I want to be at the top. So I have to endure all that hate, all that criticism. I have to take it, and that's what's going to make me the person and the player I am.' "

Sam Amick/USA Today

Tags: Dwight Howard, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, NBA B-Ball IQ

Discuss
Howard Upset Magic Issued No. 12 To Harris

Josh Robbins/Orlando Sentinel

Departure From Orlando Taught Dwight To Do What's Best For Dwight In Free Agency

Josh Robbins/Orlando Sentinel

Marcus Camby To Miss Additional Time With Torn Plantar Fascia

Jonathan Feigen/Houston Chronicle

Morey Stresses Rockets' Roster Remains Work In Progress

Brian Windhorst/ESPN

Dwight: I'm An Intelligent Basketball Player

ESPN

Rockets Waive Jordan Henriquez

RealGM Staff Report

Dwight: Working With Hakeem Fits My Game

Adrian Wojnarowski/Yahoo! Sports

Dwight Hopes To Follow LeBron's Path To Remaking Public Perception

Adrian Wojnarowski/Yahoo! Sports

B.J. Young Released By Rockets

RealGM Staff Report

Dwight Howard: Stan Van Gundy Suggested To Sign With Rockets

Bill Reiter/Fox Sports

Jeremy Lin Worked In Offseason To Make Three-Point Shot 'Smoother'

Jonathan Feigen/Houston Chronicle