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Rockets waive Mike Harris

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the Rockets have waived forward Mike Harris. Signed as a Call-Up from Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Dec. 23, Harris averaged 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in two games with the Rockets.

Harris (6-6, 235, Rice), who had rejoined the Rockets following a stint with the team during the 2007-08 season, was averaging a team-leading 25.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 10 games (10 starts) with the Vipers at the time of his Call-Up. A former standout at Rice University, Harris spent his rookie NBA season with the Rockets, averaging 3.6 points and 3.2 rebounds in 17 games in 2007-08.

NBA denies Mavericks protest of loss to Rockets

The National Basketball Association announced today that Commissioner David Stern has denied the Dallas Mavericks’ protest of their 116-108 loss to the Houston Rockets on December 18.

In the protest, the Mavericks argued that the referees, following an instant replay review, improperly called a technical foul on Erick Dampier with 1:01 remaining in overtime, which – as his second technical foul – resulted in his ejection from the game.

Commissioner Stern determined that the referees’ decision to assess a technical foul on Dampier was a judgment call, and not a misapplication of the playing rules, which cannot successfully be protested under NBA rules.

Rockets will extend contract of coach Rick Adelman

Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports:

With the Rockets ending the year surprisingly in the thick of playoff contention, Rockets owner Leslie Alexander said Thursday he was going to extend the contract of Rockets coach Rick Adelman in the coming weeks.

Adelman, whose winning percentage with the Rockets is better than any coach in franchise history, had gone into his third season with the Rockets in the final guaranteed of year of his contract, with the Rockets intending to address his contract situation in the off-season.

“I’m going to pick up his option,” Alexander said. “We’re going to do it soon, relatively soon.

“I think he’s done a terrific job. He’s taken a team that has lost two key starters and he melded the team and he’s won. That’s what we want here. He’s very self-effacing. He only cares about — which I love — is the team and winning.”

Knicks interested in Tracy McGrady

Marc Berman of the New York Post report:

Mike D’Antoni threw the Knicks’ hat into the ring in the Tracy McGrady sweepstakes.

D’Antoni acknowledged for the first time publicly the Knicks are interested in pursuing the former superstar, McGrady, saying the Rockets swingman has enough left in the tank to be a leading man and calling the issue “an intriguing thing that will be evaluated in-depth.”

“It’s a name Donnie [Walsh] I’m sure will analyze and look at and see if it makes sense,” D’Antoni said. “I think you always have to be intrigued with someone like McGrady and Allen Iverson. It’s up to Donnie to evaluate it and sit down and talk about it and see what the other side of the coin is. I don’t know what it entails. I’m sure the antennae goes up and there will be discussions.”

Tracy McGrady inactive as Rockets seek trade

The Houston Rockets are actively seeking a trade for guard Tracy McGrady, who will remain inactive until it happens.

Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey issued the following statement today regarding the team’s agreement with McGrady to seek a trade: “After multiple conversations with Tracy and his representatives, we have agreed to look into trade opportunities and have granted him an indefinite leave from team activities.”

After playing just 66 games in 2007-08 and 35 last season, McGrady in 2009-10 has logged just 45 minutes in six games.

Houston has also been without injured center Yao Ming this season.

Despite their two top stars not being on the court, the Rockets have an 18-13 record. If the regular season ended today, they’d be the Western conference 7th seed for the playoffs.

McGrady is the highest paid player in the entire league this year. His contract is expiring, so if the Rockets can’t find a suitable trade that actually helps their team, it’s quite possible T-Mac simply remains inactive all season.

It’s also possible that the team doesn’t find a trade for McGrady and the two sides someday make amends. Perhaps we’ll still actually see McGrady on the court wearing a Rockets jersey weeks or months from now.

But for now, the team will actively seek a trade — but only one that helps them, of course.

— Jeff Lenchiner

Fans have been discussing the T-Mac ordeal in this forum topic.

Rockets sign Mike Harris

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the Rockets have signed forward Mike Harris as a Call-Up from Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Harris rejoins the Rockets following a stint with the team during the 2007-08 season.

“Mike Harris has been the best player in the D-League and instrumental in the Vipers 7-3 start,” said Morey. “He will be a quality addition to our team. We are excited to add him.”

Harris (6-6, 235, Rice) returns to Houston from the Rio Grande Valley, where he was averaging a team-leading 25.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 10 games (10 starts) with the Vipers. At the time of his Call-Up, Harris stood second in the D-League among qualified leaders in points per game. He scored in double figures in all 10 games with Rio Grande Valley, while recording two double-doubles. Harris recorded a season-high 35 points and a season-best 12 rebounds at Tulsa (12/19/09). Harris actually began the 2009-10 season as a training camp invitee with Oklahoma City, but was waived by the Thunder on Oct. 23.

A former standout at Rice University, Harris spent his rookie NBA season with the Rockets, averaging 3.6 points and 3.2 rebounds in 17 games in 2007-08. Harris originally signed with Houston as a rookie free agent on July 13, 2007, but was waived by the Rockets on Oct. 22. He later signed a 10-day contract with Houston on Mar. 8, 2008, before inking a second 10-day contract on Mar. 18. Harris was signed for the remainder of the 2007-08 season by the Rockets on Mar. 29, 2008. During the 2008 NBA Playoffs, he averaged 1.0 points and 0.7 rebounds in three postseason games with Houston. Harris also averaged 12.6 points and 7.0 rebounds in five games with the Rockets in the 2007 NBA Summer League.

Harris, who also played in the preseason with the Milwaukee Bucks prior to the 2006-07 campaign, was selected third overall in the 2006 D-League Draft by the Colorado 14ers. In 48 games (16 starts) with Colorado, he averaged 11.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.54 blocks per contest in 2006-07. In addition, Harris has played internationally in the Ukraine with BC Kyiv (2005-06) and with DongGuan of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).

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Rockets, Grizzlies pass on Von Wafer

MyFoxHouston reports:

NBA sources told FOX 26 Sports the Houston Rockets plans to re-sign free agent guard Von Wafer fell through when Wafer did not pass his physical Tuesday night.

Sources told FOX 26 the Rockets may re-visit Wafer’s situation soon.

With Wafer no longer an option the Rockets signed forward Michael Harris from the team’s NBA Development league affiliate, the Rio Grande Vipers.

Harris was at the Rockets game with the Clippers Tuesday night just to watch the game and then he got the surprise of his life.

Read fan reaction and share your own opinion in this forum topic.

Chase Budinger out 2-3 weeks with sprained ankle

The Houston Chronicle reports:

Rockets guard Chase Budinger on Sunday was ruled out for two to three weeks with a sprained right ankle, following an MRI. Budinger turned the ankle on a drive in the second quarter on Saturday.

Budinger is averaging 8.2 points and three rebounds, making 40.9 percent of his shots.

The Rockets are not expected to add a player to their open roster spot with Budinger out.

Carl Landry has teeth repaired

Rockets F Carl Landry was forced to leave last night’s game in Dallas at the 9:28 mark of the second quarter following a collision with Mavericks F Dirk Nowitzki which resulted in damage to five teeth.

Landry was treated this morning by Rockets team dentist Dr. Thomas O’Brien who performed a series of procedures including a root canal and two dental bridges to repair the damage.

Landry will not play tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder and will be listed as day-to-day moving forward.

The 6-9, 248-pound power forward is having an excellent season for the Rockets, averaging 16.0 points and 5.9 rebounds in 25.9 minutes per game.

Nowitzki, Landry hurt in under-rim collision

The AP reports:

Houston’s Carl Landry was taken to a hospital after breaking teeth in a collision with Dirk Nowitzki during the second quarter of Friday night’s game between the Rockets and Mavericks.

Nowitzki drove into the lane and missed a short jumper with 9:28 left in the second quarter. He was fouled by Landry, who was hit in the mouth on Nowitzki’s follow-through.

The Houston Chronicle reports:

The Mavs’ Dirk Nowitzki and the Rockets’ Carl Landry were lost early in the second quarter when Landry cut off Nowitzki on a drive, catching Nowitzki’s right elbow in the mouth, dislodging or breaking parts of five of Landry’s teeth.

Landry was taken to the emergency room and will see an oral surgeon today to determine the extent of the damage. Nowitzki needed 30 minutes for pieces of Landry’s teeth to be removed from his elbow.

After they left, the Rockets answered the Dallas runs as they could not in the previous two meetings this season, won by the Mavericks by an average of 24.5 points after the Rockets had taken early leads. The Mavericks seemed to lose their poise, drawing six technical fouls, some at the worst possible times.