On the same day they traded veteran guard Eric Gordon to the Los Angeles Clippers for draft capital, the Houston Rockets also traded a pair of sparingly used reserves to Atlanta for draft capital.
In a trade made by the Hawks for financial reasons, the Hawks are sending veteran wing Justin Holiday and big man Frank Kaminsky to the Rockets for Garrison Mathews and Bruno Fernando.
Neither Holiday nor Kaminsky has a contract for the 2023-24 season, so the move does not impact Houston’s salary cap room this offseason. However, their combined 2022-23 salary is larger than Mathews and Fernando, which was the incentive for Atlanta to do the deal.
In exchange for taking on the larger salaries and helping reduce Atlanta’s luxury-tax figure, the Rockets are receiving Oklahoma City’s second-round draft picks in 2024 and 2025. Both were owned by Atlanta due to a previous trade involving the Hawks and Thunder.
Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, the minutes that had previously gone to Fernando and Mathews are now likely to go to second-year prospects Usman Garuba and Josh Christopher. Neither player acquired from the Hawks appears likely to have a large role.
Here’s a look at immediate reaction to the deal.
Garrison Mathews and Bruno Fernando to the Hawks for Justin Holiday and Frank Kaminsky, sources confirm. The Rockets will also receive two future second-round picks (OKC's 2024 and 2025 2nds), sources tell @TheAthletic
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) February 9, 2023
Cost-cutting move for the Hawks.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 9, 2023
1. The #Rockets swapping the Bucks FRP for the Clippers FRP makes it a much more attractive asset to use in future trade talks
2. And turning Bruno Fernando and Garrison Mathews into 2 SRPs is an excellent move at the margins
Good work by Houston’s front office.
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) February 9, 2023
The Rockets grabbed Matthews off the scrap heap and traded a free agent signing for Fernando.
They basically bought these 2 second rounders. Nice piece of business for Tilman Fertitta. https://t.co/pjtxiEoM65
— Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) February 9, 2023
Holiday & Kaminsky are on expiring contracts. Fernando & Mathews on lower salaried multi-year deals (no g'teed $$ after this season). #Rockets https://t.co/LwpqcBXYNm
— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) February 9, 2023
