Houston Rockets

James Harden reportedly squandered an opportunity to land a maximum contract with the Houston Rockets in free agency this offseason.

Speaking Wednesday on ESPN's First Take, Stephen A. Smith said a "very reliable source" told him that Harden "talked himself out of" a max contract during a meeting with the Rockets:

Smith said he was told Harden talked about his desire to return to being a scoring champion upon signing with Houston, prompting head coach Ime Udoka and the Rockets front office to move on to other options.

Harden, 34, spent parts of nine seasons with the Rockets and was named an All-Star nine times. He also won three consecutive NBA scoring titles for 2018 to 2020 and won an NBA MVP Award.

All told, Harden appeared in 621 regular-season games for the Rockets and averaged 29.6 points, 7.7 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game, making him one of the NBA's top players during that time.

The Rockets traded Harden to the Brooklyn Nets early in the 2020-21 season, and he was then dealt to Philly during the 2021-22 campaign.

Last season was his first full year with the Sixers, and while he missed out on All-Star honors for the first time since the 2011-12 season, he led the NBA with 10.7 assists per game and also averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals.

Harden became more of a playmaker in support of NBA MVP Joel Embiid than a primary scoring option, but Smith's report suggests he preferred to reprise his high-volume scoring role in Houston had he returned there.

Upon opting into the final year of his contract with the Sixers this offseason, it was believed that Philly would work on finding a trade partner, but no deal has been struck, and Harden reported to training camp with the team Wednesday, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Instead of investing significant money in Harden, the Rockets signed guard Fred VanVleet to a three-year, $128.5 million contract and wing Dillon Brooks to a four-year, $86 million deal.

Those vets are joining a young, talented team headlined by Jalen Green, Jabari Smith, Alperen Şengün and rookie first-round pick Amen Thompson.

As for Harden, he remains in Philadelphia and is reportedly disgruntled that he has not been traded yet with the regular season quickly approaching.

Sam Amick of The Athletic reported Wednesday that Harden is "just as incensed" as ever with Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey due to the belief that he was dishonest about trading Harden.

It remains unclear where Harden will be once the regular season begins, but as of now, he is in line to be on the 76ers' roster, which could make for an uncomfortable and explosive situation.

After agreeing to a buyout with the San Antonio Spurs last week, Reggie Bullock is going to stay in Texas for the 2023-24 NBA season.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Bullock intends to sign with the Houston Rockets once he clears waivers.

Charania reported on Saturday that Bullock and the Spurs agreed to terms on a contract buyout.

The Rockets were able to land Bullock after receiving interest from "several teams," per Charania.

Adding Bullock continues what has been a very strong offseason for Houston. The team upgraded its roster early in free agency by signing Fred Van Vleet and Dillon Brooks. It also added Amen Thompson with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NBA draft.

Jae'Sean Tate, who has been with the Rockets since the 2020-21 season, told reporters during Monday's media day he thinks "the rebuild is over."

Things have been rough for the franchise over the past three seasons. The Rockets have the worst record in the NBA during that span (59-177).

Recent high lottery picks Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. have shown flashes of their ability during games, but they are still trying to find consistency at the NBA level.

In addition to the on-court talent they have brought in, the Rockets hired former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka to replace Stephen Silas. Udoka led the Celtics to an appearance in the NBA Finals during the 2021-22 season.

Bullock gives the Rockets another presence on the wing with Brooks. The 32-year-old will be playing for his seventh different team since entering the league in 2013-14. He spent the previous two seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, who traded him to the Spurs in July as part of a three-team sign-and-trade deal with the Boston Celtics.

In 78 appearances for the Mavs last season, Bullock averaged 7.2 points on 38.0 percent three-point shooting. He is a 38.4 percent shooter from behind the arc in 512 career games.

Houston Rockets rookie Amen Thompson has yet to step onto an NBA court, but he has already made a strong impression among executives across the league.

"You put [Amen Thompson] on an NBA floor today and he might be the best athlete," an Eastern Conference scout said, per ESPN's Tim Bonmtemps. "Great passing and playing in transition. He rebounds, he defends."

Thompson, who was selected by the Rockets with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft, took an unconventional route to the NBA, playing for Overtime Elite alongside his twin brother Ausar Thompson, who was selected fifth overall by the Detroit Pistons.

The 20-year-old averaged 16.4 points, 5.9 assists and 5.9 rebounds during the 2022-23 season and averaged 27.5 minutes per game. He was even better in the Overtime Elite playoffs, averaging 17.2 points, 9.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds en route to a championship.

Thompson has long been lauded for his athletic ability, and he should be a solid fit in a young Rockets lineup alongside the likes of Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Aleperen Sengun and Cam Whitmore.

Veterans Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks are expected to lead the way for Houston in 2023-24, and while Thompson will likely play off the bench to start the season, his athleticism alone could eventually push him into the starting lineup.

The Houston Rockets are reportedly holding active discussions with other teams regarding a potential trade of Kevin Porter Jr., who is facing felony assault and strangulation charges.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, "Houston is actively engaged with multiple teams" on a potential move and is using "several second-round draft picks" as incentives to convince a team to trade for Porter, who was just arrested Monday.

"The real interest for other teams would be the draft picks," Charania said. He explained any team that traded for Porter would likely waive him in the aftermath of the deal.

Houston is reportedly looking for someone who can immediately play as part of its rotation in return.

ESPN noted prosecutors said during Tuesday's arraignment that Porter left former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick with a fractured neck vertebra and a cut above her right eye from his alleged assault.

Porter pleaded not guilty to the felony assault and strangulation charges and was ordered to remain away from Gondrezick as he was released Tuesday on $75,000 bail.

Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Mirah Curzer called it a "serious domestic violence case" and said Porter also previously rammed his car into one belonging to Gondrezick.

ESPN cited a criminal complaint that said Gondrezick told police Porter caused the fractured vertebra by squeezing her neck with his hands and caused the cut above her eye by punching her multiple times.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver spoke about the allegations on Wednesday, per ESPN:

"The allegations here are horrific, no question about it, but I don't know anything more of course about the actual facts other than reading those allegations. We have a domestic violence policy that was collectively bargained with the Players Association. They certainly feel as strongly as we do about the issue. Every case though also depends on its unique facts.

"I think when we're not in season, there's a little bit more of an opportunity to absorb what's happening before we act. ... One thing I've learned over many years of working on these cases is that not to assume anything here and to not just rely on headlines, but to try to truly understand what's happening here as a combination of what law enforcement has learned and direct interviews. And so we're still now in the process of gathering information."

Porter, who entered the NBA in 2019 and has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Rockets during his career, is scheduled to return to court in New York on Oct. 16.

The Houston Rockets are attempting to trade guard Kevin Porter Jr. after he was arrested and charged with felony assault and strangulation of his girlfriend on Monday, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Per that report, the Rockets have reached out to a number of teams "offering draft compensation as incentive to receive Porter, who has the 2023-24 season guaranteed for $15.9 million in Year 1 of a four-year, $82.5 million deal. In deal scenarios using Porter's contract, the Rockets would be using his salary to target a player under contract who can play immediately and help the team, league sources said."

Additionally, a league source told Charania that the Rockets are "keeping all options open with the future of Porter."

Given the charges against him, however, it's hard to imagine an NBA team making such a deal. And the sheer optics of trading Porter, rather than simply waiving him, wouldn't be good.

Prosecutors announced Tuesday that Porter's girlfriend, former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick, had a fractured neck vertebra and a cut above her right eye, allegedly suffered when the Rockets guard attacked her.

Prosecutors said Porter didn't stop the attack until Gondrezick fled from their room at the Millennium Hilton in Manhattan while covered in blood. She said he punched her repeatedly in the face, and Manhattan's assistant district attorney Mirah Curzer said Porter had a history of abusing Gondrezick.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver spoke with reporters regarding the situation on Wednesday:

The allegations here are horrific, no question about it, but I don't know anything more of course about the actual facts other than reading those allegations. We have a domestic violence policy that was collectively bargained with the Players Association. They certainly feel as strongly as we do about the issue. Every case though also depends on its unique facts.

I think when we're not in season, there's a little bit more of an opportunity to absorb what's happening before we act. ... One thing I've learned over many years of working on these cases is that not to assume anything here and to not just rely on headlines, but to try to truly understand what's happening here as a combination of what law enforcement has learned and direct interviews. And so we're still now in the process of gathering information.

Porter pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In 2020, Porter was arrested and charged with improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, failure to control the vehicle and misdemeanor possession of marijuana after police said they found a weapon and marijuana in his vehicle after a crash.

Those charges were eventually dismissed.

Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. was arraigned Tuesday in New York City on charges of felony assault and strangulation after an alleged attack on his girlfriend, former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick, per the Associated Press.

Prosecutors say Gondrezick suffered a fractured neck vertebra and a cut above her right eye after Porter attacked her in a hotel room at the Millennium Hilton in Manhattan on Monday.

Porter, who was arrested Monday, punched Gondrezick in the face repeatedly, leaving her with a cut above her right eye, bruising and "substantial" face pain, according to the criminal complaint.

The 23-year-old NBA player also squeezed Gondrezick's neck forcefully in the attack, making it difficult for her to breathe and leaving her with redness and bruising to her neck, the criminal complaint said.

Gondrezick was transported to the hospital afterward and was diagnosed with a fractured vertebra in her neck.

"Upon arrival officers were informed that a 26-year-old female sustained a laceration to the right side of her face and was complaining about pain to her neck," a New York City police spokesperson said Monday, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "A preliminary investigation on scene determined that a known individual struck her multiple times upon her body and placed his hands around the neck."

In a statement on Monday, the Rockets said they were "in the process of gathering information" and that they had "no further comment at this time." The NBA also released a similar statement.

Porter was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the 2019 draft out of USC before the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired his draft rights. He spent one season with the Cavs before being traded to the Rockets.

Porter signed a four-year, partially guaranteed contract extension with the Rockets last season worth up to $82.5 million.

While Porter was still a member of the Cavaliers in November 2020, he was arrested after police said they found a loaded handgun and marijuana in his vehicle after a single-car crash. The charges were eventually dismissed

Porter was also fined $50,000 in April 2021 for violating the NBA's COVID-19 protocols after visiting a Miami strip club, and he was suspended by the Rockets for one game in January 2022 following a verbal altercation with then-coach Stephen Silas.

Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. was arrested in New York City for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend, according to Josh Margolin and Aaron Katersky of ABC News.

Margolin and Katersky reported Porter's girlfriend initially locked him out of their room at the Millennium Hotel early Monday morning because she "was upset with the late hour of his return." Porter gained entry with the help of a hotel employee and then allegedly struck the woman.

Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, a spokesperson for the New York Police Department said officers arrived at the hotel at 6:45 a.m. following a 911 call.

"Upon arrival officers were informed that a 26-year-old female sustained a laceration to the right side of her face and was complaining about pain to her neck," the spokesperson said. "A preliminary investigation on scene determined that a known individual struck her multiple times upon her body and placed his hands around her neck."

NBA spokesperson Mike Bass issued a statement on the matter, via Kelly Iko of The Athletic: "We are aware of the reports regarding Kevin Porter Jr. The league office is in contact with the Houston Rockets and in the process of gathering more information."

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Rockets aren't allowed to administer any punishment against Porter—including a suspension—while the NBA conducts its investigation.

Porter is approaching his fifth season in the NBA, and off-court concerns have followed the 23-year-old throughout his career.

Leading up to the 2019 draft, he told reporters that "a lot of people say I'm one of the most talented in the draft but I have a lot of red flags in my character."

The Cleveland Cavaliers, who selected Porter in the second round, traded him to the Rockets in January 2021 after he was reportedly involved in a verbal altercation with team officials in the locker room. He had yet to suit up for the Cavs to that point in the season for personal reasons.

Porter also received a one-game suspension from Houston in January 2022 after he reportedly got into an argument with assistant coach John Lucas at halftime.

"Porter has well-documented anger management issues—which the team believes he has made progress on—but those surfaced again Saturday and ultimately drove him to leave the arena instead of rejoining the team for the second half, sources said," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon reported at the time.

The Rockets' first preseason game is a month away (Oct. 10) against the Indiana Pacers, and they open the regular season Oct. 25 against the Orlando Magic.

Feigen said Houston general manager Rafael Stone declined to comment on Porter's arrest.

The Houston Rockets are reportedly re-signing veteran center Boban Marjanović on a one-year contract, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The 35-year-old appeared in 31 games for the Rockets last season, averaging 3.3 points and 1.9 rebounds per contest while shooting 68.3 percent from the floor.

Marjanović previously played for the San Antonio Spurs (2015-16), Detroit Pistons (2016-17 to 2017-18), Los Angeles Clippers (2017-18 to 2018-19), Philadelphia 76ers (2018-19) and Dallas Mavericks (2019-20 to 2021-22), averaging 5.6 points and 3.6 rebounds for his career.

The Serbian big man has always been a reserve player, making only 25 starts in the NBA, a role he'll reprise in Houston. It's unlikely he'll see many minutes, with Alperen Şengün and Jock Landale expected to earn the majority of time at the position, though the latter is recovering from an ankle injury.

Regardless, Marjanović was a big hit with his younger Rockets' teammates last season, providing a valuable veteran presence.

"No matter if he plays 20 minutes or if he plays zero, he's the same person," Jabari Smith Jr. told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle in March. "Always encouraging, first guy in the gym, last to leave every day. Great teammate, someone you can lean on, talk to. I'm pretty sure everybody would say the same thing."

Head coach Stephen Silas concurred:

Being around Boban is just amazing. He is a bright light every single day. He is a great worker. You have a choice of how you're going to be when you walk in the building, and he chooses every single day to be positive. He chooses every single day to be happy. He chooses every single day to be helpful to his teammates. But he's also very committed to his work, to his routine. You'll see him out there playing one-on-three with interns just so he can stay sharp and stay ready for when his time comes.

His time may not come often this season, but it sounds as though there will be a lot of happy people in Houston now that he's returning.

Nobody may have enjoyed Canada's 127-118 overtime win over the United States in the bronze medal game of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup more than Dillon Brooks.

The Houston Rockets wing said representing his national team in the event was "so enjoyable."

"Obviously, the hate doesn't stop and it keeps going," he told reporters. "But just having my country, head coach, a GM, all these guys behind me, and trying to help me to succeed, having nothing to do with the politics, contracts, any of those things... It's hard to battle against the world in a team. So it's just a great feeling."

Brooks' World Cup run comes on the heels of an NBA offseason in which some felt he was scapegoated by the Memphis Grizzlies for their first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Only days after their Game 6 defeat, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported the Grizzlies "informed [Brooks] that he will not be brought back under any circumstances" as he entered free agency.

Brooks' trash talk toward Lakers star LeBron James didn't exactly help the cause, and his performance left something to be desired. But Memphis' loss exposed problems that went well beyond the 27-year-old.

Signing a four-year, $86 million contract with the Rockets was already a form of vindication for Brooks considering some of the mockery he faced. Him showing out on an international stage sends quite a message as well.

In eight World Cup games, Brooks averaged 15.1 points and shot 58.8 percent from beyond the arc. He dropped 39 points, five assists and four rebounds in Canada's bronze medal triumph over Team USA.

Based on his postgame comments, the 6'7" forward is carrying a massive chip on his shoulder as he looks to make all of his skeptics look foolish.

And as much as letting Brooks go initially felt like addition by subtraction for Memphis, fans might be rethinking that if his production in the World Cup carries over to the 2023-24 NBA season.

Nobody can accuse Dillon Brooks of lacking confidence.

After helping lead Canada to a 100-89 victory over Luka Dončić and Slovenia in the quarterfinals of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the Houston Rockets guard didn't mince words about his defensive capabilities.

"Yeah. This tournament, this world, in the NBA," Brooks said when asked if he believes he is the best defender at the World Cup, per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. "I feel like I bring a different type of defense with my IQ and how physical I play and how disciplined I am on the floor."

Fischer noted Brooks was heard and seen giving instructions to his teammates for how to contain Dončić during the contest.

The Dallas Mavericks star finished with 26 points, but it was an inefficient showing at 8-of-20 from the field with three turnovers. Brooks used his physicality and his defensive leadership to help his team prevail.

"A lot of people don't like him," Dončić said. "But I respect him for what he does."

Next up for Canada is a semifinal game against Serbia before a potential championship clash with the United States if both teams advance.