Sefolosha quickly gets into flow after arrival
Forward Thabo Sefolosha, delayed by visa issues, arrived in Houston in time for Sunday’s practice and was playing Monday night in the Rockets’ first preseason game against the Shanghai Sharks. Despite the late arrival, Sefolosha did not feel as if he was behind. In consecutive years with the Jazz, he prepared to play the Rockets in the playoffs, the sort of work that left him confident he knew the system even with a slightly delayed start.
“We’ve studied them a lot the last few years with Utah,” Sefolosha said. “Understanding what they’re trying to get done offensively, defensively, I think I’m prepared for it.
“It’s a team that has been real competitive the last few years. It’s an exciting situation for me coming in. They know what I bring, the defensive mindset. After 13 years in the NBA, I know what to expect.”
Sefolosha participated in player workouts in Las Vegas and also has experience with James Harden and Russell Westbrook when all three were with the Oklahoma City Thunder for Harden’s first three seasons.
“It feels great to be back with James and Russell and a fellow Swiss man, Clint (Capela),” said Sefolosha, who had three points in nearly 14 minutes. “It feels good. It feels right. I’m excited about the season.”
There is one significant change since Sefolosha and Harden were teammates. Sefolosha started in those seasons with Harden coming off the bench, roles Sefolosha said are not likely again.
“It’s a different era, a different time, obviously,” Sefolosha said. “It’s just good to be reconnecting with him.”
Westbrook’s debut unclear
Guard Russell Westbrook sat out the Rockets’ first preseason game Monday and could skip Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers in Honolulu, though coach Mike D’Antoni said when Westbrook makes his preseason debut remains to be determined.
“He’s going to work into it,” D’Antoni said. “We don’t know exactly how many games it will take him. He hasn’t played all summer. He’s been rehabbing. We’re going to get a bunch of practices underneath his belt before he goes on the floor. He’s already had two good practices. He’ll practice when we’re in Hawaii and then, we’ll see. Mostly it’s when he feels ready and then, he’ll play.
“I hate it for the fans that he doesn’t play (Monday.) I know some people come and want to see him. I want to see him. But we’ll make sure he’s ready.”
D’Antoni said there is no specific game targeted for Westbrook to play in the preseason. The Rockets face the Raptors Oct. 8 and 10 in Japan and play the Spurs on Oct. 16 in Toyota Center. General manager Daryl Morey said Monday the plan was for Westbrook to begin playing in games in Tokyo, but that is still to be determined.
“That could change,” D’Antoni said. “It could be earlier; it could be later. It’s just depends on how he feels and his timing. He wants to make sure when he does play, he’s ready to go.”
Guards Shamorie Ponds (bruised thigh) and Michael Frazier (sprained right ankle) and forward Anthony Bennett (tendinitis) also were out. Center Nene (strained adductor) is not with the team.
Nunnally returns after rule change
A season after the Rockets cut forward James Nunnally when the NBA would not approve a trade to clear a roster spot on Martin Luther King Day, he returned to Toyota Center with the Shanghai Sharks on Monday.
The Rockets released Nunnally when they needed to sign center Kenneth Faried. They had worked out a trade of Carmelo Anthony to open a spot for Faried, but NBA rules at the time required that the league office be notified of coming deals on the business day before weekends or holidays.
The league has since eased those requirements in a way that would have permitted the Rockets’ moves that day, according to a person with knowledge of the changes.
In a memo sent to teams in July, the NBA changed the requirement that the league office be notified on Friday before a weekend or the business day before a holiday. This season, the league will seek to approve trades on weekends and holidays unless deals are too complicated to complete the approval process that quickly. The league office, according to the memo, will encourage, rather than require, notice before holidays or weekends.
Told the NBA had changed the rule since last season, Nunnally laughed, but did wonder what would have happened to his career had he been able to remain with the Rockets.
“You never really know what could’ve happened,” Nunnally, who was on a 10-day contract at the time, said. “Maybe I would have stayed. It’s all good. It’s how the business works.”
The Rockets did eventually trade Anthony to the Bulls last season, but not in time for Nunnally to keep his roster spot. He played in just two games with the Rockets and was not signed by another team.
“I know it’s a business,” Nunnally said. “I don’t take it personal at all. I wish it had ended differently. I just move on.”
Relief group remains busy
Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni, his wife Laurel D’Antoni and the team on Monday hosted 70 volunteers from SBP, a disaster relief organization that has been rebuilding homes in Houston since Hurricane Harvey and has begun work on more than 1,500 homes damaged by Imelda.
“There’s just so many good people in there that are helping to rebuild Houston and to prepare for the next one,” D’Antoni said. “Two weeks ago, we already had one. They have already rebuilt 160 homes and they will stay with us, the way the climate is, probably forever. These are all kids that volunteer their time. It’s very important.
“Obviously, the people that step up, they’re our future. Kids. They’re the ones that have to deal with the climate change. It puts everything in perspective. I’m worried about James (Harden) and Russ (Westbrook) playing together. You look at this and say, ‘yeah right. That’s really a problem.’ It takes you back and makes you feel humble.”
Volunteers or businesses that wish to help can find information at SBPUSA.org. A year-end fundraiser will be held at the Post Oak Hotel on Dec. 17 with tickets at SBPAnsweringTheCall.org.