Houston Chronicle >> Rockets to sign NCAA assist leader Machado http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterockets/2012/09/rockets-to-sign-ncaa-assist-leader-machado/ Lock if already posted..
Point guard Scott Machado, the NCAA assists leader last season who excelled in the Rockets’ final summer league games in July, will sign with the team this week, a person with knowledge of the deal said Tuesday. Machado will sign a three-year, partially guaranteed deal, most likely on Thursday. Machado, 22, averaged 9.9 assists for Iona last season, but went undrafted in June. After a slow start in Las Vegas, he finished strong, getting 10 assists in the third game and 20 points in the tournament finale, replacing Courtney Fortson as the starting point guard. Machado will join a group of players competing to be the primary backup for Jeremy Lin at point guard. In addition to Fortson, Toney Douglas and veteran Shaun Livingston will likely see time at the point in the preseason. The Rockets will sign Machado after opening a roster spot by releasing Sean Williams. Machado averaged eight points and 5.6 assists in 25.4 minutes in Las Vegas. In the Rockets last three summer league games, he made 42.3 percent of his shots, averaging 11.3 points and 7.3 assists, ending the final game with consecutive no-look passes on fast breaks. “Just something to remember,” he said of those passes to finish the Rockets’ week in Las Vegas. “They know I’m a great passer. “I feel like every day I progressed and got better just getting more comfortable and more used to the style of play and the pace of the game, the players around me.” Jonathan.feigen@chron.com Twitter.com/Jonathan_feigen http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterockets/2012/09/rockets-to-sign-ncaa-assist-leader-machado/ Looks to be true.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Rockets to sign Scott Machado, NCAA assists leader last yr, to partially guaranteed, 3-year deal this wk, source said. <a href="http://t.co/aZhHxaiW" title="http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterockets/2012/09/rockets-to-sign-ncaa-assist-leader-machado/">blog.chron.com/ultimaterocket…</a></p>— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/status/243139205365104640" data-datetime="2012-09-05T00:11:18+00:00">September 5, 2012</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
This was probably to be expected. Glad another team didnt snatch him up first. I would assume it is most likely a deal similar to the one that Greg Smith signed. Three years, non-guaranteed. League minimum. Most likely Livingston with his buyout, and Fortson were set to get cut anyways. This way it gives real competition for that backup PG spot between Douglas and Machado. Whoever the Rockets end up taking on their 15 man roster this November to backup Lin is going to really have to earn that spot.
3 years? That means if he turns out to be good, others teams still couldn't "poison pill" him away from us, right?
I'm glad they brought him in -- looking forward to seeing if he can make the team. He really got in a groove in his last few games in Vegas.
Really glad this happened, as I thought he has the most upside of any of our PGs. I don't want to see Livingston playing at all, and Douglas should probably only play 3rd string PG or SG. I was actually worried he had fallen through our grasp after summer league. Really really happy he is on the team.
leading the ncaa in assists doesn't necessarily mean he should be signed. Anyways good signing and I'm happy for the kid. He needs some work but he does some things well that you can't teach and he can be a decent floor general off the bench....
I like it, but the cocky b*stard better not b**** because he is going to be on the bench most likely.
From comments seen I didn't expect to see New Rochelle's son in TheToyShop as a home player. I think I'm glad he's here.
Ish Smith of a few years ago. Many "loved" him, hated to lose him in the Battier trade, forgot about him and probably haven't kept up with him since(outside of his recent "stint" with the Rockets SL, which he didn't even play due to injury and then eventually signed back with Orlando.)