Houston Rockets won’t sign Erick Dampier
After having a verbal agreement with Erick Dampier less than two weeks ago, the Houston Rockets had a sudden change of heart and decided not to sign the veteran centre, opting to keep swingman
Jermaine Taylor, the Houston Chronicle reported on Monday 8 November.
Two weeks ago, the Rockets asked Dampier to be patient while they are still looking to create a room for him in the roster by trading Taylor, but Houston did not receive any reasonable offer,
which prompted them to keep the second-year guard.
Taylor’s agent Michael Whitaker confirmed the development to The Houston Chronicle after the Rockets informed them that Taylor will stay with the team after the deal with Dampier fell through,
which was also rumoured to be as a mutual decision because the 6ft 11in doesn’t want to play for a struggling team.
“He was feeling a lot of anxiety,” Whitaker said referring to Taylor. “There was a lot of pressure with everyone asking him every day if he heard something. I was just telling him when the
Rockets thought they would have news. It was a very difficult stretch for him.”
Taylor also confirmed that the Rockets have informed him personally about the news, and he felt relief although he expressed his concern about the amount of playing time he will get with
the team, who are loaded in the shooting guard position.
“I was actually told that I'm here to stay,” Taylor said. “I'm happy to still be here and still have a job, but then again, I kind of wonder what would have happened if I went somewhere else.
I kind of know if I went somewhere else, I would have had a chance to play. I have mixed feelings about it.”
The Rockets, who finally bagged their first win of the season after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves, 120-94, on Sunday 7 November, will be on three-game east coast trip, and Taylor is
expected to have some additional minutes since Aaron Brooks will be sidelined for four to six weeks with a sprained left ankle.
Dampier, on the other hand, will talk with several teams again, including the Toronto Raptors, who are still interested in acquiring the 14-year veteran centre after choosing the Rockets
instead of them two weeks ago.
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