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The Houston Rockets missing out on Josh Smith despite reportedly offering him more money than the Los Angeles Clippers may have been just what K.J. McDaniels needed.
McDaniels, a restricted free agent, has been hardly a whisper in the rumor mill despite coming off of a solid rookie season. The New Orleans Pelicans reportedly showed interest last week, but having missed out on Smith, the Rockets are turning their attention to MacDaniels in earnest.
The Rockets still have their entire $5.4-million Mid-Level Exception (MLE) available to them, and they want to use at least part of that for McDaniels, according to a report from Calvin Watkins of ESPN. The sides are in contact, but McDaniels is said to have a "strong offer" from one other team.
The Pelicans, if they're still interested, could offer up to the $2.6 million remaining of their MLE, but Houston has the right to match if McDaniels signs an offer sheet elsewhere.
A player coming off of his rookie season being a restricted free agent is unusual, but the No. 32 overall pick opted to bet big on himself coming out of the 2014 draft. Second-round picks are not bound to the rookie wage scale, and rather than sign the team-friendly four-year deal the Philadelphia 76ers reportedly offered, McDaniels opted to sign the requisite one-year minimum offer the Sixers had to submit to retain his rights.
The bet from McDaniels was that his free-agent market would prove more robust than the league minimum with limited guarantees than the Sixers were offering, and it seemed a smart gamble after he started his season hot. An explosive leaper, dunker, and shot-blocker, McDaniels averaged 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 25.4 minutes with Philly, but played sparingly after being acquired by Houston at the trade deadline.
If the 22-year-old can ever knock down threes with consistency - he hit 28.7 percent this year - he'd be an obvious rotation piece. His perimeter defense is strong, his help defense can be emphatic, and he's a great open-court player and finisher.
