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Houston Rockets agree to trade with Hawks before deadline

Houston Rockets agree to trade with Hawks before deadline
The Rockets and Hawks have made a trade. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

The Houston Rockets pulled the trigger on a trade with Atlanta before the trade deadline on Thursday.

According to reports, the Rockets are acquiring center Cody Zeller and a second round pick in exchange for the NBA rights to international player Alpha Kaba.

Reports from Yahoo Sports indicate this is basically a salary dump for the Hawks, and Houston is buying back their draft pick.

Hoopshype is reporting that the Rockets will release recently acquired Jaden Springer to make room for Zeller.

Via YardBarker:

The Pelicans re-signed Zeller last summer to use his contract for salary-matching purposes in the Dejounte Murray trade. However, he has yet to play a game for the Hawks in 24-25, having been listed as away from the team for personal reasons for much of the season.

Time will tell if the Rockets decide to release Zeller in the coming days.

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Is this a World Series-caliber team? Composite Getty Image.

The Astros dropped a tough one Tuesday night, falling 4–2 to the White Sox after slipping behind early. But before anyone reaches for the panic button, take a breath — this team may not look like the dominant, late-inning machine from 2022, but there are still reasons to believe something bigger could be brewing.

In this episode, we unpack what this loss really means and why the bigger picture still matters. Despite a wave of injuries, the Astros are hanging a few games over the .500 mark — a feat that may be more impressive than it seems on the surface.

We take a closer look at Lance McCullers Jr., who’s no longer fighting for a spot at the back of the rotation. His stuff looks sharper, and his role as a solid No. 3 is starting to take shape. We also spotlight Ryan Gusto, a young arm who might quietly become a key piece down the stretch.

The offense hasn’t exploded the way fans hoped, but maybe that’s the point — Houston is still in the fight, and in some ways, overachieving considering the circumstances. Rookie Cam Smith is settling in nicely at the big-league level, and although Christian Walker has underwhelmed, Isaac Paredes has emerged as one of the top third basemen in the American League. Plus, let's not forget Yordan Alvarez should be returning in short order to give the offense a lift.

And yes, it’s early, but we can’t help but wonder… could this be the start of another World Series run? After all, the Astros were swept by the White Sox in 2017 — and we all remember how that story ended.

Be sure to watch the video below as ESPN Houston's John Granato and Lance Zierlein weigh in!

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