This. The new NBADL rules allow for a D-League team to have rights to up to 3 players cut from its "parent" NBA team's roster during training camp. By signing guys to training camp contracts (or even deals with very small partial guarantees), the Rockets can make sure that the Vipers will have exclusive rights (over all other D-League teams) to those players when the Rockets cut them. It's a smart strategy and one that I'm not the least bit surprised is being implemented now by Gersson Rosas and company.
I guess Hakeem and McHale just picked a raw 7 footer they could work with. Houston is in the ideal situation for a raw center to developer. Howard, Asik two elite defensive bigs.
So far, you're the only one who's said that in this thread. Congrats. Because EVERYONE said 25 year old Casspi was a steal and the same was said for Reggie Williams. You can't forget how much attention the Patrick Beverly signing received. Or how everyone said we would be instant contenders with the Lin and Asik signings. Don't even get me started on the Tim Obihert signing. Everyone said he could be the next Dennis Rodman.
Just another body for training camp. Maybe they'll want to rest Asik early on. The Eurobasket tournament runs through September.
I don't know about that. Personally just looking at this predraft workout, he looks better than Thabeet has his whole NBA career.
I knew it something happened at the unauthorized official Rockets team workout in LA. :grin: I'm hoping he tears it up with the Viper, so we have more liquidable asset.
Thanks for the information on this rule. Even then, it sounds like the pool of talent for the D League is doubleplusundeep.
Not everyone, but there is always a handful of people who believe that X player is a steal. That's barely the case, though it does happen.
D-Mo and Omer are in Europe, they need 7-footers to practice against, even if they aren't necessarily good.
