Rockets Drop Tito and Tmo, Posey Geting Interest from Several Teams

Rockets pursue Posey, pass on Maddox, Morris

By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle

The Rockets began the free-agent bargaining season by adding to the list of free agents and reaching out toward the one of their own they most want to keep.

The Rockets opted not to pick up their option on the contracts of guard Tito Maddox and forward Terence Morris, their second-round picks of the past two seasons.

General manager Carroll Dawson said both players were invited to play for the Rockets' entry in the LA Summer Pro League in Long Beach, Calif., beginning July 10, with the opportunity of earning a place on the team's training camp roster.

Maddox is expected to play for the Rockets in Long Beach, but Morris could try to hook up with a team providing a better chance of offering a roster spot next season.

The Rockets began their pursuit of free agents by contacting 6-8 forward James Posey's agent, Mark Bartelstein. No contract figures were discussed.

Bartelstein said Posey has received interest from Chicago, Orlando, Detroit, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Portland.

"We talked, but we talked to a bunch of teams," Bartelstein said of the Rockets' interest in Posey. "There is a lot of interest in him because of his age (26) and the things he does."

The Rockets also went to work pursuing free-agent coaches. With Michael Jordan's failed bid to buy the Milwaukee Bucks over, Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy renewed talks with former Knicks center Patrick Ewing about joining his staff as an assistant coach.