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Following the end of last season, the Houston Rockets had somewhat of a problem at the forward and center positions. While the Rockets ranked high in rebounding statistics, the team lacked height and depth.
Tari Eason missed most of the season due to injury, which meant that Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. were left to do most of the rebounding and shot-blocking. It worked most of the time, but after the Rockets traded for veteran center Steven Adams, it looked like their issue of having height in the paint was fixed.
The solution was evident in yesterday's 118-98 preseason win over the New Orleans Pelicans. The perimeter defense was elite, but so was the paint defense. Houston held New Orleans to shoot just 45.8% inside the arc.
The Rockets out-rebounded the Pelicans significantly, grabbing 62 boards to their 47. Adams, Sengun, and Smith Jr. combined for 27 rebounds, with Adams (11) and Smith Jr. (10) showing up their prowess in the paint.
Last season, Sengun averaged 9.3 rebounds per game. It looks like that number may go down this season but for the right reasons. Sengun doesn't have to be as much of an anchor in the paint now that the Rockets are developing Smith Jr. and Adams is healthy. Adams, who came over in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies last season, averaged 11.5 boards in the 2022-23 season.
With GM Rafael Stone doing an excellent of filling the holes in the Rockets' roster, Houston's playoff aspirations are certainly valid. It's only preseason, but this win was a great sign of things to come.
More must-reads:
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- The 'NBA Summer League MVPs' quiz
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76ers unexpectedly waive veteran guard despite career season
The Sixers are waiving Ricky Council IV, the team announced in a press release. Council signed a four-year, partially guaranteed deal with the Sixers in 2024, which contained a team option for the 2026-27 season. Last season, he averaged 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 17.1 minutes per night — all career-high numbers. Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports notes that the timing of the move was unexpected, given that Council’s guarantee date is on Jan. 10, 2026, and the team currently has an open roster spot if they need it to add restricted free agent Quentin Grimes. While Council struggled with his three-point shot last season, he emerged as a reliable depth contributor, playing a team-high 73 games while bringing athleticism and energy from the wing positions.
Top NHL Analyst Provides Update on Canucks Possible Offer Sheet for Two Star Players
Top NHL analyst Stephan Roget of 'Canucks Army' believes the Canucks could definitely offer sheet Mason McTavish or Marco Rossi, but they likely won't. Offer sheets remain one of the less common NHL deals, so a midsummer offer sheet from the Vancouver Canucks would remain highly unlikely. The player must be a restricted free agent (RFA) to be offer-sheet eligible, and come mid-July, there are not many remaining who are. Two of them are strong possibilities for whom the Canucks would consider making an offer sheet: Anaheim Ducks' Mason McTavish and Minnesota Wild's Marco Rossi. And offer sheets are a two-part process. Your team has to first make an offer. And then there has to be acceptance of a player before his current team is in a position to counter. That is uncertainty enough. Any offer sheet from the Canucks would have to be at least $11.7 million per year The Canucks would only be able to give Mason McTavish or Marco Rossi at the absolute highest compensation level, above $11.7 million annually. That would cost four protected first-rounders across five drafts to the Canucks. While both Rossi and McTavish would certainly appreciate an offer of this nature, whether either is truly worth this kind of investment of this size, especially for Vancouver, a club not comfortably in a playoff position, is questionable. 'As it stands, the Canucks are still eligible to make offer sheets to McTavish and Rossi - but only certain offer sheets. 'Whether it's realistic to expect a mid-summer offer sheet from the Canucks, is no'. - Stephan Roget Bottom line: While theoretically, a Canucks summer offer sheet is conceivable, too high a price, in cap space and future equity, makes it extremely unlikely, per NHL analyst Stephan Roget of 'Canucks Army.'
Bengals finally reach agreement with first-rounder Shemar Stewart
The Cincinnati Bengals have finally reached an agreement with first-round pick Shemar Stewart, putting an end to what became the story of the offseason for the team. Stewart, drafted 17th overall in this year's draft, has finally agreed to a four-year, fully guaranteed $18.97 million deal that includes a $10.4 million signing bonus, according to his agent Zac Hiller of LAA. Now with this deal done, every first-round pick is signed. The road to this deal was a bumpy ride. For months, negotiations between Stewart’s camp and the Bengals front office stalled due to disagreements over contract language, particularly around guarantees. The team pushed to include contract language that could void the deal under certain off-field circumstances, but since other Bengals first-round picks did not face similar terms, Stewart stood firm and refused to sign. Both sides remained firm throughout the offseason, leading to a long standoff and a lot of reports of frustration from both sides. Despite the frustration and disagreement, the Bengals and Stewart’s group continued to engage in conversations, trying to find a resolution to the issue. And finally, after weeks of back and forth and weeks of controversy surrounding what Stewart may be forced to do, both parties appear to have met in the middle and found common ground. For the Bengals, getting Stewart signed and ready for training camp is a major win. Stewart was viewed as a developmental prospect who needed plenty of on-field reps to reach his full potential. Stewart's absence from earlier camps had slowed a lot of his progress. With the contract dispute resolved, he can now focus entirely on gaining important reps and continuing his development over the coming weeks. Now with this contract done and over with, the team can put their full focus on Trey Hendrickson, who is also seeking a long term deal. If the Bengals can get a deal done with Trey before the season kicks off, they would secure their edge-rushing room for not only 2025, but for years beyond. For a team looking to go all in on making the playoffs, signing Stewart was long overdue. Now it will be vital for the team to get Stewart up to speed with the rest of the roster, and allow him to get as many reps as possible before the 2025 season begins.
Did the Yankees Just Help Anthony Volpe With This Ryan McMahon Trade?
The Yankees didn’t trade for Ryan McMahon to help Anthony Volpe. Not directly, anyway. They made the move to shore up the infield, cut down on errors, and stop bleeding runs behind Max Fried. They needed steadier hands, not a defensive whisperer. But according to former Rockies outfielder and current broadcaster Ryan Spilborghs, McMahon’s arrival could have a secondary benefit—helping Volpe get back to his Gold Glove level. “I think so,” Spilborghs said on SiriusXm’s MLB Network Radio’s “Loud Outs” show right after the news was announced. “The range you’re going to get with McMahon... he’s played with really good shortstops—Trevor Story, and now a Gold Glover in Ezequiel Tovar. It’s not an accident that a shortstop wins a Gold Glove. Because the guy next to him was really good.” It’s a simple point, but one Yankees fans should appreciate. The left side of the infield operates as a unit, especially when dealing with groundball-heavy pitchers like Fried. In 2023, Volpe was a breakout defender. In 2025, he’s been fighting through inconsistency, Both mentally and mechanically, and was recently the focus of some tough-love commentary from Joe Maddon. The former MLB manager actually suggested sending Volpe to the minors to help him reset his mind. Adding McMahon, who ranks among the league’s top defensive third basemen since 2021 in Defensive Runs Saved, could stabilize that side of the field—and in the process, take some pressure off Volpe. More consistency. More trust. More plays made. Helping Volpe get back on track is not the headline reason the Yankees acquired McMahon. They desperately needed to improve their defense at third base and protect their investment in ground-ball pitcher Max Fried. But if it gets Volpe back to being a decent shortstop, it could end up being one of the most important ones.
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