The Houston Rockets have declined their fourth-year option on the contract of Marquese Chriss.

Chriss was acquired by the Rockets in a trade with the Phoenix Suns.

Chriss was the eighth overall pick in the 2016 draft by the Suns. The Suns have also declined the 19-20 option on Dragan Bender.

The Philadelphia 76ers have exercised the rookie-scale options on the contracts of Markelle Fultz, Dario Saric and Ben Simmons. 

Fultz, who was originally selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, following one season at the University of Washington, has appeared in 22 NBA games for the 76ers. This season, his second with Philadelphia, Fultz has played in eight games (all starts) and is averaging 9.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.0 steals in 24.6 minutes per contest.

Saric has started each of the 76ers’ eight games in 2018-19 and holds averages of 10.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 31.0 minutes per contest. He’s notched a season-best 15 points at Milwaukee on Oct. 24. An All-Rookie First Team selection following the 2016-17 season, Saric has seen action in 167 career games (117 starts), posting 13.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 28.1 minutes per game. 

Simmons joined Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson as the only two rookies in league history to post at least 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game. He was one of only three NBA players to post such averages last season, joining current Laker LeBron James and Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook.

Tom Thibodeau is not believed to be ready yet to seriously negotiate a trade of Jimmy Butler.

The Houston Rockets, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers have interest in Butler.

Butler will miss Wednesday's game, but he has told associates that he plans to play against the Warriors on Friday night.

Butler and his agent are frustrated by the Wolves slowly moving to honor his trade request.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have declined their 19-20 option on Justin Patton.

Patton was the 16th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Patton has battled injuries throughout his time in the NBA.

Jimmy Butler could begin an extended absence in an effort to expedite a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Butler is sitting out Wednesday's game against the Utah Jazz.

The Timberwolves termed it "general soreness and precautionary rest,” but Butler informed Tom Thibodeau of his decision.

Butler requested a trade before the start of training camp.

The Wolves were close to a trade of Butler to the Miami Heat before the start of the season, but talks fell apart. The Houston Rockets have since been active in talks with the Wolves.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Larry Drew have yet to gain traction over an interim coaching position.

The Cavaliers informed Drew they could still hire a new head coach but the team has not yet been aggressive in hiring one.

Drew is one of the league's highest-paid assistants at nearly $1 million this season.

"There are no updates, which I'm very disappointed about," Drew said Tuesday. "I'm going to be professional and I'm going to do my job. It's been close to 72 hours."

The Milwaukee Bucks have exercised the fourth-year contract option on forward Thon Maker and third-year contract option on forward D.J. Wilson.

The 10th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Maker, 21, is averaging 6.3 points and 4.7 rebounds over three games this season. In his first two seasons with the Bucks, Maker averaged 4.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.

Wilson, 22, was the 17th overall selection in the 2017 NBA Draft. He appeared in 22 games for the Bucks in his rookie campaign and averaged 1.0 point and 0.5 rebounds. In 11 games for the Wisconsin Herd, the G League affiliate of the Bucks, Wilson averaged 15.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists last season.

The Toronto Raptors have exercised the third-year team option on the rookie scale contract of forward OG Anunoby and the fourth-year team option on the rookie scale contract of forward Pascal Siakam. The contracts for Anunoby and Siakam are now guaranteed through the 2019-20 season. 

Anunoby, 6-foot-8, 232 pounds, was selected by the Raptors with the 23rd overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He has averaged 7.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 24.2 minutes in five games this season.

Anunoby averaged 5.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 20.0 minutes in 74 games (62 starts) last season. He ranked seventh among rookies in field goal percentage (.471) and sixth in three-point field goal percentage (.371). Anunoby scored in double figures 10 times with two 20-point performances.

Siakam, 6-foot-9, 230 pounds, is averaging 10.9 points 7.0 rebounds and 26.0 minutes in eight games (seven starts) this season. He set career highs with 22 points Oct. 29 at Milwaukee, and 15 rebounds Oct. 30 vs. Philadelphia.

Siakam was picked by Toronto 27th overall in the 2016 NBA Draft. He has averaged 6.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 19.1 minutes in 144 games (50 starts) with the Raptors.

The Cleveland Cavaliers could have interest in pursuing Avery Johnson as head coach.

Dan Gilbert has had interest in hiring a college coach for several seasons with offers in the past to Tom Izzo, Bill Self and John Calipari. Johnson is in his fourth season at Alabama and has coached in the NBA previously with the Dallas Mavericks and Brooklyn Nets.

Johnson also coached Collin Sexton at Alabama.

Officials from the Cavaliers spent time with Johnson in advance of drafting Sexton.

The Boston Celtics have exercised the 19-20 option on the contract of Guerschon Yabusele.

Yabusele was the 16th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.