http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/sports/local/100207-rockets MARK BERMAN Sports Director FOX 26 Sports has learned the Houston Rockets will add guard Guard Garrett Temple to their roster Monday. Temple comes from the Rockets' affiliate in the NBA Development League, the Rio Grande Vipers. To create a spot for Temple the Rockets will send guard Will Conroy back to the Vipers. After joining the Rockets from Rio Grande Jan. 29 Conroy saw action in two games. Temple, who impressed Rockets management during training camp, was fourth on the Vipers team in scoring averaging 14.9 points. He did a little bit of everything in the D-league, also averaging 3.4 assists, three rebounds and 1.4 steals. Temple will augment the Rockets roster that took a blow when guard Kyle Lowry suffered a sprained ankle in the loss Saturday to Philadelphia. He may need at least two weeks before he is ready to play again. The Rockets are also expected to be without guard Trevor Ariza when they play in Miami Tuesday night, the final game before the All-Star break. Ariza suffered a hip pointer against Philadelphia
In before "A trade is coming!!!" post A lot of moving parts though between the RVG and Houston lately.
Pretty simple, Lowry goes down, Conroys 2 ten day contracts have almost expired and the Rockets dont want to commit to him for the entire year just yet. Give Temple his twenty days and see who is better, then sign that one for the remainder of the season. Or wait to sign for the season when or if one of our PGs goes down again.
Lowry is healthy again, so they have 1 PG for both practice teams now. Ariza is out with a hip pointer. The Rockets have Battier and Budinger for team A SG and SF, but team B has Jermaine Taylor and an empty spot. Garrett Temple is only a temporary signing, so that the empty roster spot doesn't interfere with team scrimmages.
Why couldn't they just play Taylor? Are they protecting him for a prospective minor trade?, ie one that involves dumping Cook's contract.
It's adds to the Rockets team salary. If the Rockets are eye Cook as their key to getting under LT. The more salary they add the less options are present to move him with getting under LT as the goal.
I see it as the Rockets giving current/future players incentive to stick/sign with their D-League team.
D-League contracts range from $14k to $24k Mike Harris's 10-day contract was for $82,306 http://www.shamsports.com/content/pages/data/salaries/rockets.jsp
Really? 80K is peanuts compared to other NBA players (the vet min is 1M+). Cook is the one you be really made about, he's earning 3 million AND getting bench seats (even better than courtside seats) for the year. Not to mention he gets to eat catered meals before each game, and gets a free workout with the team during each practice. Plus they probably get a free massage after games/practices as well.
