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.
Can confirm the Rockets acquiring Cody Zeller and their 2028 2nd-round pick from Atlanta. In exchange, Atlanta is acquiring the rights to Alpha Kaba, sources tell @TheAthletic.
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) February 6, 2025
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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Outfielder Ben Gamel is staying with the Houston Astros, agreeing Wednesday to a $1.2 million, one-year contract.
Gamel gets a $200,000 signing bonus and a $1 million salary, which is not guaranteed.
Claimed off waivers from the New York Mets on Aug. 20, Gamel hit .259 with three doubles, four RBIs and 11 walks in 22 games with Houston. His season ended Sept. 14 when he broke his left fibula while running into the right-field wall making a catch of a Mickey Moniak drive at the Los Angeles Angels.
Gamel hit .247 overall with one homer and four RBIs in 38 big league games and also batted .314 with seven homers and 24 RBIs in 45 games at Triple-A Syracuse.
He has a .252 average with 41 homers and 204 RBIs over nine major league seasons with the New York Yankees (2016), Seattle (2016-18), Milwaukee (2019-20), Cleveland (2021), Pittsburgh (2021-22), San Diego (2023), the Mets and Houston.