ROCKETS AT DEADLINE: Houston ships off first-round pick for Iman Shumpert
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- With the NBA counting down to the 2 p.m. CT trade deadline, the Houston Rockets made a couple of moves that would help the team become somewhat marginal players in free agency this summer.
On Wednesday night, Houston reportedly acquired forward Iman Shumpert from the Sacramento Kings as part of a three-team deal that also included the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Citing league sources, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said the Rockets are unloading guard Brandon Knight, forward Marquese Chriss and a lottery-protected 2019 first-round pick to the Cavaliers.
Along with Shumpert, the Rockets also received Nik Stauskas and Wade Baldwin from Cleveland, who were then traded hours before the deadline to Indiana.
The move enables Houston to save $15.6 million that would be due to Knight next season. Both Knight and Chriss were acquired from Phoenix before the current season in the Ryan Anderson trade.
Shumpert, a former NBA champion with Cleveland and an eight-year veteran of the league, has been a perennial starter for the Kings this season. He is averaging about 26 minutes played and nearly nine points a game. Shumpert becomes a free agent after the season.
Following the Shumpert trade and closer to the deadline Thursday, the Rockets used another swap to unload guard James Ennis to Philadelphia. The Athletic's Shams Charania reported the Rockets received the right to swap second-round picks with the 76ers in 2021.
The Ennis trade is expected to free up a roster spot for the Rockets, who appear to be players in the buyout market. Houston found recent success signing Kenneth Faried after his buyout from Brooklyn.
To go with that, the Rockets assigned center Isiah Hartenstein to their G League affiliate.
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