Houston Rockets Wiretap

The Washington Wizards are trading for Cam Whitmore of the Houston Rockets. Washington will send Houston two second-round picks for Whitmore.

The Wizards are continuing to rebuild around young players. The nearly 21-year-old Whitmore will give Washington another young forward option. In 98 games over two seasons, the 6-foot-7 forward has averaged 10.8 points and 3.4 rebounds in 17.4 minutes off the Rockets bench.

Houston continues to clear out space under their impending first-apron hard cap. The Rockets have several pending transactions lined up when the NBA's moratorium lifts at noontime on Sunday, July 6. Houston is acquiring Kevin Durant in a trade, Clint Capela in a sign-and-trade, Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency, and re-signing Fred VanVleet, as well as Jeff Green, Aaron Holiday and Jae'Sean Tate.

Kevon Harris and the Houston Rockets have agreed to a Two-Way deal.

Harris was G League Next Up Game MVP and signed a 10-day deal with the Atlanta Hawks last season.

In 44 G League games last season, Harris averaged 19.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.5 steals over 31.1 minutes. 

The Houston Rockets have waived Jock Landale ahead of his July 7th guarantee date. Landale agreed to a four-year, $32 million deal with the Rockets during the 2023 offseason, but only the first season was fully guaranteed. The Rockets had to waive Landale in order to stay below the First Apron, which will be triggered as part of their acquisitions of Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela.

Landale averaged 4.8 points and 3.3 reboudns in 11.9 minutes across 42 games last season for the Rockets. 

Landale, who is represented by Sammy Wloszczowski, is expected to sign with his preferred team upon clearing waivers.

The Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets are working to involve a league-record seven teams in the Kevin Durant trade, sources told Fred Katz of The Athletic.

The Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves would also get involved in the deal.

The details of the trade are currently being negotiated, with no deal imminent.

The framework involves the Hawks sending Clint Capela to the Rockets in a sign-and-trade. With Durant still headed to Houston, Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green would go to the Suns. Daeqwon Plowden is the only other active NBA player involved in the deal.

The rest of the players are from draft-night trades that were already agreed upon, which cannot be finalized until July 6.

Jake Fischer of The People's Insider adds that a six-team trade was being discussed during the second round of last week's draft. The Hawks adding Capela to the mix in a sign-and-trade would make it seven teams. 

Clint Capela has agreed to a three-year, $21.5 million deal with the Houston Rockets. Capela returns to the Rockets after his trade to the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline in 2020. Capela is coming off a two-year, $46 million contract extension signed with the Hawks in 2021.

Capela averaged 8.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.0 blocks in 21.4 minutes across 55 games with the Hawks.

Capela joins Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams at center for the Rockets.

According to Jake Fischer, the Rockets will acquire Capela via a sign-and-trade while sending a 2031 second round pick swap plus cash to the Hawks to facilitate. 

Dorian Finney-Smith and the Houston Rockets have agreed to a four-year, $53 million deal. Finney-Smith declined his $15.4 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2025-26 after several weeks of negotiation.

Finney-Smith, who underwent offseason ankle surgery, will give the Rockets depth on the wing with his ability to defend multiple positions and shoot from three.

Finney-Smith, who is represented by Michael Tellem, averaged 8.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 41.1 percent on three-pointers last season with the Nets and Lakers.

The Lakers wanted to keep Finney-Smith, but will not have access to the non-taxpayer midlevel exception, which they could use on multiple centers. The Lakers didn't offer Finney-Smith more than two seasons as they are hoping to preserve their 2027 cap space. 

The Houston Rockets have agreed to re-sign Jeff Green and Aaron Holiday to one-year deals at the veteran's minimum.

Holiday averaged 5.5 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 12.8 minutes across 62 games last season.

Green appeared in 32 games, averaging 5.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 12.4 minutes last season.

Jae'Sean Tate and the Houston Rockets have agreed to a one-year, $3 million deal. Tate would have become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Tate first signed with the Rockets before the 2020-21 season after two seasons playing overseas. Last season, Tate averaged 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 11.3 minutes.

Tate is coming off a $7.6 million expiring contract with the Rockets.

The Houston Rockets are working to schedule meetings at the start of free agency with Dorian Finney-Smith, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Lennard.

The Rockets will have their non-taxpayer midlevel exception available to spend with a starting salary of approximately $14 million.

The Rockets are expected to prioritize improved three-point shooting as they round out their rotational depth around an excellent defensive core.

The Los Angeles Lakers are expecting to lose Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency to the Houston Rockets on a multi-year deal. Finney-Smith declined his $15.4 million player option with the Lakers to test free agency. The Lakers acquired Finney-Smith from the Brooklyn Nets in December for D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round draft picks.

The Rockets have their non-taxpayer midlevel exception to offer Finney-Smith, who will help them replace Dillon Brooks. Finney-Smith is comfortable in a role off the bench for the Rockets as their starting five is set with Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun.

Finney-Smith, who is represented by Michael Tellem, averaged 8.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 41.1 percent on three-pointers last season with the Nets and Lakers.

Finney-Smith previously played for the Dallas Mavericks.