Hoops Rumors

Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, who was ruled out for the team’s game in San Antonio on Friday night due to right foot soreness, is no longer eligible for major award consideration this season, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Morant has averaged 21.4 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per contest this season for the Grizzlies, who rank third in the … [Read more...] about Southwest Notes: Morant, Murray, Eason, Rockets

The NBA, which recently had to postpone four games as a result of wildfires in Los Angeles and severe weather in Atlanta, has rescheduled three of those contests and announced date changes for six others, the league announced in a press release (Twitter link). The Hornets/Lakers game that was supposed to be played last Thursday will take place at Crypto.com Arena on February … [Read more...] about NBA Announces New Dates For Nine Games

Within a discussion about Houston’s future trade options on the latest Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link), ESPN’s Tim MacMahon points out that the Rockets control “a lot of Suns draft capital” and have “let it be known they are Devin Booker fans.” However, while Booker might be the sort of player the Rockets would be willing to go all-in for on the trade market, MacMahon … [Read more...] about Suns Notes: Booker, Road Trip, Allen, Trades

The three-year, $105MM extension that the Rockets gave Jalen Green in the fall was widely viewed as a deal designed to be traded, especially given that it included a 10% trade kicker, a rare addition to a rookie scale extension. However, the fourth-year guard is taking major steps so far this season toward justifying Houston’s investment, as Kelly Iko of The Athletic … [Read more...] about Southwest Notes: Green, JJJ, Wemby, Williamson

A three-game stint in the G League helped rebuild the confidence of Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard, writes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle. The No. 3 pick in last year’s draft has struggled with his shot, connecting at 32.2% from the field and 27.9% from three-point range. As a result, his playing time has dropped sharply, with just two brief appearances since December … [Read more...] about Southwest Notes: Sheppard, Zion, JJJ, Morant