How latest bombshell report provides important context to Texans trade for Diggs
WHEELING AND DEALING
04 April 2024
Stefon Diggs may not be long for H-Town. Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images.
When the Texans traded for Stefon Diggs on Wednesday, a lot was made of his unhappiness in Buffalo that helped facilitate his trade to Houston.
Well, things just got more interesting as Adam Schefter is reporting the Texans wiped out the final three years of his deal, which will allow him to be a free agent after the season
More about the Texans wiping out final three seasons on Stefon Diggs’ deal, allowing him to become a free agent next off-season while guaranteeing him more money this season:https://t.co/TfKcHLQ2vo
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 4, 2024
The thought being the Texans will get the best version of Diggs who will be playing for a new contract, and the team can receive a compensatory pick should he walk in free agency.
Which means the Texans traded a second-round pick to rent Diggs for the 2024 season. That seems like a high price to pay for a one-year rental, in my opinion.
It's also important to note, while everyone seems to be praising GM Nick Caserio for this move, Albert Breer is reporting that the highest comp pick the Texans could receive for Diggs would be a fifth-round pick.
And we're seeing other reports saying the Texans can't receive any comp pick for Diggs because they altered his deal. Whether it's a fifth or no pick at all, there's not much to be gained here when it comes to draft picks for the Texans.
Also significant: Because this will be Texans WR Stefon Diggs' 10th NFL season, the most Houston can get in a comp pick if he leaves after this year would be a fifth-round pick. So cutting years off the deal is a big concession.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 4, 2024
Breer points out this is a “big concession” by the Texans. And depending on how the Texans renegotiated the deal, there's a chance Diggs' franchise tag number could jump to over $27 million. Which the team would likely not be willing to pay.
As it stands right now, Texans fans shouldn't get too attached to watching Diggs play in Houston. And they may want to hold off on buying a Diggs jersey, since he probably won't be with the team in 2025.
Coach Ime Udoka has agreed to a contract extension with the Houston Rockets, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been announced. No details on the terms of the contract were available.
The move comes after Udoka led the Rockets to the second-best record in the Western Conference this season and their first playoff berth since the 2019-20 season. Houston made a remarkable turnaround in his two seasons in charge after being among the worst teams in the NBA the three seasons before his hiring.
The Rockets, who won just 42 games combined in the two seasons before Udoka was hired, went 41-41 in his first season before going 52-30 this season for their first winning record since 2019-20. Houston lost to the Golden State Warriors in seven games in the first round of the playoffs this season.
Udoka led the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals in 2022, then was suspended for the following season after the disclosure of an inappropriate relationship with a female Celtics employee.
The 47-year-old was hired in April 2023 to replace Stephen Silas, who was fired after three losing seasons.
ESPN was first to report the contract extension.
