NBA Rumors: Houston Rockets unlikely to sign J.R. Smith despite recent injuries

What's the rumor?

The Houston Rockets are currently without the injured duo of Eric Gordon and Danuel House, and Mike D'Antoni's team has notably lacked depth over the past few seasons. Nevertheless, Kelly Iko of The Athletic is reporting that the Rockets are unlikely to offer J.R. Smith a route back into the NBA:

Concerning the injuries to Houston’s snipers, Rockets fans have pointed to the free-agent pool of shooters like J.R. Smith, Jamal Crawford, and Nick Young - names I brought up in conversation - but there’s no urgent sense of desperation to go that route.

In case you didn't know...

Smith played just 11 games for the Cleveland Cavaliers last season after publicly criticizing the direction of the team while also outlining his desire for a trade. Smith failed to secure a move ahead of the trade deadline and was subsequently waived by the Cavs earlier this summer.

While his stock has fallen considerably over the past 12 months, Smith is just one season removed from starting on a Cleveland team that reached the 2018 NBA Finals. The veteran was also a reliable performer during his first four seasons with the Cavaliers as he averaged 9.9 points and 2.9 rebounds in 29.3 minutes per game.

The heart of the matter

Smith only recently turned 34, and despite a year away from the league, the former Knicks man should have at least a season of good basketball left in him. While a move to the Rockets appears to have been ruled out, Smith could still make an impact on a contending team that needs to add experience and depth to the bench.

What's next?

Following their narrow defeat to the LA Clippers on Friday night, the Rockets will be back in action tomorrow evening as they take on the Dallas Mavericks.