Houston Rockets Blog – Page 27 – NBA Blog

Clippers trade Josh Smith to Rockets

The L.A. Clippers announced today the team has acquired the draft rights to Maarty Leunen from the Houston Rockets in exchange for forward Josh Smith, the draft rights to Sergei Lishouck and cash considerations.

Leunen, 30, was a stand-out at the University of Oregon and the 54th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by Houston. Leunen currently plays for Scandone Avellino of the Italian Serie A.

The Clippers signed Smith on July 16, 2015 as a free agent and the 11-year NBA veteran appeared in 32 games (1 start) for Los Angeles this season, averaging 5.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 14.3 minutes per game.

Originally selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 17th pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, Smith has appeared in 868 career regular season games with Atlanta, Detroit, Houston and the Clippers and owns career averages of 14.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.0 blocks in 32.9 minutes.

The rights to Lishouck, 32, were acquired by the Clippers on Jan. 7, 2015 from the Philadelphia 76ers. Originally drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies with the 49th overall selection of the 2004 NBA Draft, Lishouck currently plays for UCAM Murcia in Spain.

Ty Lawson suspended two games

Houston Rockets’ guard Ty Lawson has been suspended for two games without pay for driving while ability impaired, in violation of the law of the State of Colorado, the NBA announced today.

Lawson’s suspension will begin with tomorrow night’s game between the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Dwight Howard reportedly not seeking a trade

Here’s ESPN.com with the latest on Rockets center Dwight Howard, who may see his future in existence someplace else, but for now isn’t rocking the boat in Houston:

With the Houston Rockets struggling to get over .500, questions have begun to surface about the happiness of star center Dwight Howard.

While acknowledging Howard is unhappy with losing, sources said Howard has not expressed a desire to be traded.

Howard has a player option for next season at $23.2 million. The team expects him to become a free agent, taking advantage of a salary cap that is projected to expand from $67 million to nearly $90 million.

Dwight Howard denies being unhappy on Rockets

Here’s the Houston Chronicle reporting Rockets center Dwight Howard’s reaction to a report that he wouldn’t mind it if he were to wind up on a different team:

Dwight Howard was not happy. The issue that got under his skin, however, was not with his role in the Rockets offense, but with a report on Tuesday that he was “extremely unhappy” in Houston and predicted that he would be traded to the Miami Heat.

Howard called the report “lies” and said he has never expressed any dissatisfaction with his role.

“I haven’t said anything to anybody about anything,” Howard said. “People make up lies and rumors. That’s never been my focus. I’m trying to get these guys to play better and get myself to play better.”

James Harden calls Kobe Bryant a legend

Saturday night in Houston the Rockets (just 11-12 this season) host Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers (an NBA second-worst 3-20). Unless something crazy happens, this will be Kobe Bryant’s final season in the league. Here’s the Houston Chronicle reporting:

“Obviously, we know the game is extra hyped because of Bean,” Rockets guard James Harden said. “We still have to go out and win the game and focus on what we have to do.

“He’s somebody I watched growing up since I was little. This is his 20th year. I’m just 26 years old. He’s been playing a long time. Obviously, you definitely want to win the game. That competitive nature, going against him, no matter how old he is, he still has the competitive nature. He still wants to go out there and compete at a high level. I’ll definitely take advantage of it and cherish it.

“He’s a legend, not just here but every arena you go to on the road, games are sold out, ticket prices are going up to see a legend in his last year.”

Rick Carlisle strongly disagrees with Rockets` firing of Kevin McHale

Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle thinks it’s absurd that the Houston Rockets have fired head coach Kevin McHale. Here’s the Dallas Morning News reporting:

Rick Carlisle, who played with McHale in Boston and has been friends with him ever since, didn’t mince words about the Rockets’ move.

“It’s preposterous,” he said. “It’s beyond belief. I’m really shocked. It’s just hard to believe that something could happen at this stage to a guy who took a team unexpectedly to the conference finals last year. To have this happen after just 11 games is just preposterous. Nobody expects this. It’s very disappointing to hear. But Kevin will be fine. There will be a lot of people wanting to hire him. I can tell you that.”

Report: Kevin McHale fired by Rockets

When a team with the exact same core of players that has proven to be successful in the very recent past under a certain coach stops performing up to expectations, what often happens?

The head coach gets fired, that’s what.

And that’s what is going down with the Houston Rockets, who are off to a 4-7 start and have reportedly fired head coach Kevin McHale, per a Yahoo Sports report.

McHale delivered the Rockets to the Western Conference Finals a year ago, but four straight blowout losses and a roster struggling to respond with effort pushed the organization to make a move to salvage what had been expected to be a season of championship contention.

Only 11 games into the season, the move reflects owner Leslie Alexander’s seriousness about winning within the present window with James Harden and Dwight Howard. Alexander and management, including executives Daryl Morey and Gersson Rosas, made the decision on Tuesday to replace McHale, league sources said.

McHale signed a three-year contract extension a year ago and is owed approximately $12 million.

A look at Rockets player shooting percentages this season is alarming: James Harden 37.2%, Trevor Ariza 33.6%, newly-acquired guard Ty Lawson 33.3%, Patrick Beverley 34.2%, Corey Brewer 29.9%.

Even worse, the team’s quality of play so far has actually appeared worse than their 4-7 record would suggest. The Rockets have been one of the lowest-rated squads in the league this short season both offensively and defensively per 100 possessions.

And per the Washington Post:

The symbol of Houston’s disastrous start has been Ty Lawson, a mercurial point guard the Rockets dealt for this summer after a tumultuous prior 12 months with the Denver Nuggets. Lawson – the player who organized Tuesday’s players-only meeting – has been awful thus far, averaging just 8.9 points and 5.6 assists while shooting 33.3 percent overall and 27.3 percent from three-point range. The combination of two ball-dominant guards in Lawson and James Harden, last year’s league MVP runner-up, has made for an awkward pairing.

The Rockets certainly have the roster needed to bounce back. But if it happens, it’ll be under new leadership.

Ty Lawson says he appreciated his time with Denver Nuggets

Houston Rockets point guard Ty Lawson is averaging a modest 10.5 points and 5.6 assists per game as he continues to develop chemistry with his new teammates. Here’s the Denver Postreporting on Lawson and his former team, the Nuggets:

Ty Lawson says he appreciated his time with Nuggets

Ty Lawson was trying out a product in his future while talking about the past. He was sitting in one of the baseline seats at the Pepsi Center, in Houston Rockets garb, with his new business venture on his feet — a pair of big slippers called Sleekers, which are due out later this month.

“It’s a little different, coming through here seven years, just coming back,” he said after Rockets shootaround Friday morning.

Lawson makes his Denver debut in a different uniform in the Nuggets game against Houston. It is the first time he’ll take the Pepsi Center court as anything other than a Nugget, which he was for six seasons.

“It was pretty great,” said Lawson of his time with the Nuggets. “I had a good couple of years here. This team gave me my first opportunity and chance. So I have nothing bad to say.”

Rockets defense not up to par

Here’s the Houston Chronicle reporting on the Rockets, who are off to a disappointing 4-4 start:

Last season, the Rockets were the NBA’s sixth-rated defensive team, allowing 100.5 points per 100 possessions and were considerably better when Dwight Howard played.

Through eight games this season, they rank 27th, allowing six more points per 100 possessions with opponents making 47.1 percent of their shots, the third-worst field goal percentage defense in the league.

The problem, they said, was made clear when the low-scoring and previously winless Nets burned them for 106 points on Wednesday.

“Effort and rebounding,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said of the primary issues. “We have not been very good defensively.”

Dwight Howard out Friday vs. Kings

Here’s the Houston Chronicle reporting on the 2-3 Rockets:

The Rockets’ hopes that Dwight Howard would be available to play both games of their road trip back-to-back ended before Friday’s morning shootaround began.

Howard was ruled out for Friday’s game at the Sacramento Kings while the Rockets continue to manage his workload in back-to-back games. He is expected to play Saturday against the Clippers in Los Angeles.

Forward Terrence Jones, out since playing the season’s first two games because of a cut eyelid, and Pat Beverley, who suffered a concussion on Wednesday, did not make the trip. Forward Donatas Motiejunas has not yet been cleared to practice since last season’s back surgery.