Category: Houston Rockets Blog

Q: If you can separate the playoff chase from this question, just tell me about the move to Houston. How do you grade it so far?

Marcus Camby: “It’s been great being back home. Portland was eliminated last night (Tuesday) and they’re getting hammered tonight (Wednesday), so being traded here, just being in a situation to actually compete for the playoffs is great. With me being a free agent [in the summer] and the Rockets looking for a big man in the middle, I hope we can get something done in the summer. I want to stay.”

“I actually built a house from scratch in Houston like five years ago with the intentions of finishing my career down there. So it’s crazy how things play out. From the coaches and from management and my meetings I’ve had with them, I think they enjoy what I’ve been doing with my play and my leadership. I know from talking to my representative that there’s going to be a lot of suitors at the end of the season, but this is where I want to be. It’s something we’ll definitely address at the end of the season.”

Q: Do you have it in your head how much longer you want to play?

Camby: “I want to play 20 [seasons]. That’s the goal. That’s the magic number. I’m at 16 now, so we’ll see.”

— Reported by Marc Stein of ESPN.com

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed forward Diamon Simpson for the remainder of the season. Simpson will wear jersey #20 with the Rockets.

Simpson (6-7, 230, Saint Mary’s) joins the Rockets from the Adelaide 36ers of Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL). In 27 matches with the 36ers in 2011-12, Simpson averaged 14.3 points (.592, 155-262 FG), 8.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. He also posted 12 double-doubles and five 20-point performances this season with Adelaide. Simpson collected 22 points and 10 rebounds in leading Adelaide to a 96-84 win over Perth, capturing the inaugural Paul Rogers medal as the game MVP between the league’s oldest rivals. Prior to the 36ers, the 6-foot-7 forward spent part of the 2010-11 season in the Turkish Basketball League with Türk Telekom. He actually began his international career with the Alaska Aces of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) for their 2010 campaign.

As a collegian at Saint Mary’s (CA), Simpson finished his career as the school’s all-time leader in rebounds (1,130), blocked shots (239), steals (174), free throws made (470) and free throws attempted (777). He helped the Gaels to an 87-41 (.680) mark in a school-record 128 career games over his four years, ranking tied for the most wins in school history for a Saint Mary’s player (87 by Ian O’Leary). Simpson also ranked third all-time in scoring at Saint Mary’s (1,603 points) and was second in the West Coast Conference in career blocks (239).

Following a successful collegiate career, he was invited to training camp in 2009 with the Golden State Warriors before joining the D-League’s L.A. D-Fenders in 2009-10. Simpson averaged 15.5 points, 9.6 rebounds (8th in D-League), 2.2 assists, 1.80 steals and 1.40 blocks in 30 games (30 starts) with the D-Fenders that season. He was also selected to participate in the 2010 NBA D-League Shooting Stars competition.

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has assigned guard Courtney Fortson to Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner Rio Grande Valley. Fortson, who was signed by the Rockets for the remainder of the season Mar. 27, marks his first official assignment to the D-League. Fortson was originally signed by Houston to a 10-day contract on Mar. 17, which was his second D-League Call-Up of the season. He also played four games with the L.A. Clippers this season.

Fortson (5-11, 185, Arkansas) has averaged 2.8 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 7.2 minutes per game over five outings since joining the Rockets. He also owns career averages of 14.3 points, 5.0 assists and 3.7 rebounds in 35 D-League games (15 starts) with the Reno Bighorns (2010-11) and L.A. D-Fenders (2011-12). In 29 games (14 starts) this season with the D-Fenders, Fortson holds averages of 17.0 points, 5.9 assists, 4.3 boards and 2.14 steals. At the time of his Call-Up, Fortson was ranked tied for 14th in the league in scoring, sixth in assists and second in steals.

A Call-Up by the Clippers on Jan. 16, 2012, Fortson scored an NBA career-high 13 points (5-10 FG) at Utah (1/17/12). He was waived by the Clippers on Jan. 27. In addition to the NBA, Fortson played internationally with Romanian First Division team Steaua Turabo. In college, Fortson averaged 17.9 points, 5.7 assists and 5.2 rebounds as a sophomore at Arkansas. He was also named to the All-SEC Freshman Team.

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed guard Earl Boykins to a second 10-day contract.

Boykins (5-5, 133, Eastern Michigan), who signed his first 10-day contract on Mar. 26, is averaging 6.4 points and 3.0 assists in five games with Houston.

Rockets guard Kyle Lowry shoveled a basketball to Goran Dragic with his left hand, unable to use his right because of the antibiotics PICC line in his right arm.

The effort was not much greater than passing the peas at dinner, but it was as much as he has been permitted in weeks or is likely to undergo for several more weeks.

He laughed when Dragic hit the shot Lowry told him would be his last. He celebrated not just his first morning around the Rockets since he was hospitalized March 8 with a bacterial infection but the understanding that if not for an alert technician and luck his serious condition could have been worse.

Lowry, 26, said he might not return this season from his infection and its treatment, but he was happy just to be back at a morning shootaround.

— Reported by Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle Blog

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed guard Earl Boykins to a 10-day contract. He will wear jersey #6 with the Rockets.

Boykins (5-5, 133, Eastern Michigan) has averaged 8.9 points (.349, 382-1,095 3FG) and 3.2 assists in 644 career games (34 starts) with New Jersey, Cleveland, Orlando, the L.A. Clippers, Golden State, Denver, Charlotte, Washington and Milwaukee. With 5,752 career points, the 12-year veteran currently stands 12th in NBA history for points scored by a player under six-foot tall. Undrafted out of Eastern Michigan, Boykins also played for the CBA’s Rockford Lightning (1998-99) and La Fortezza Bologna of the Italian League (2008-09).

In 57 games with the Bucks last season, Boykins averaged 7.2 points and 2.5 assists. Boykins scored 22 points (8-12 FG, 4-5 3 FG) at L.A. Lakers (12/21/10) and netted a season-high 26 points (9-16 FG, 7-8 FT) vs. Dallas (1/1/11). He handed out a season-best 11 assists at Philadelphia (1/14/11). Boykins also tallied 23 points (8-22 FG) with four steals vs. Memphis (1/22/11). He registered his fourth 20-point game of 2010-11 with 20 points (7-11 FG, 6-8 FT) in a 98-90 win vs. Atlanta (1/26/11). Boykins, who also played 35 games (career-high 19 starts) for Milwaukee in 2006-07 after a mid-season trade from Denver, was signed by the Bucks on Aug. 19, 2010.

His best seasons came as a member of the Nuggets (2003-07), averaging 12.1 points, 4.0 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 0.79 steals in 255 games (12 starts). Boykins also averaged 12.9 points and 3.9 assists in 15 playoff games (one start) with Denver.

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has re-assigned center/forward Greg Smith back to Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner Rio Grande Valley. This marks the second assignment of Smith’s career.

Smith (6-10, 250, Fresno State) has averaged 0.9 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.71 blocks in seven games with the Rockets this season. Signed from Rio Grande Valley on Feb. 8, Smith was originally assigned to the Vipers on Feb. 9. He was recalled by Houston from Rio Grande Valley on Feb. 19. Selected as a 2012 NBA D-League All-Star, Smith has averaged 16.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.33 blocks in 21 games (17 starts) with the Vipers in 2011-12. At the time of his last recall, Smith was the D-League leader in field goal percentage (.664, 150-226 FG), was tied for sixth in the league in double-doubles (eight), 10th in rebounding average (7.9), 13th in scoring (16.7) and 14th in blocks per game (1.33).

In his first stint with the Rockets, Smith averaged 1.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in two preseason games with Houston before being waived on Dec. 22, 2011. In college, Smith averaged 11.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game as a sophomore last season at Fresno State. He was also the 2009-10 WAC Freshman of the Year, which was voted on by the WAC head coaches.