OCTOBER 14: Maker and Nowell have been waived, Spotrac contributor Keith Smith tweets. They’ll each seemingly wind up becoming a member of the Rockets’ G League membership.
OCTOBER 1: The Rockets are signing massive man Thon Maker and guard Markquis Nowell to Exhibit 10 contracts, in response to Kelly Iko and Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter hyperlink). The offers are official, the crew confirmed in a press launch.
The tenth general decide within the 2016 draft, Maker appeared in 263 whole common season video games for the Bucks, Pistons, and Cavaliers from 2016-21, however hasn’t been on an NBA roster since being lower by Cleveland in January 2021. The 7’0″ heart performed for Hapoel Jerusalem in 2021, the Fujian Sturgeons in China from 2022-24, and Al Riyadi Beirut in Lebanon this spring.
Maker, 27, averaged 4.6 factors, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 13.8 minutes per recreation throughout his 5 NBA seasons, posting a taking pictures line of .435/.327/.680.
A 5’7″ level guard, Nowell spent most of final season on a two-way contract with the Raptors after going undrafted out of Kansas State in 2023. He appeared in only one NBA recreation for Toronto earlier than being lower in March, however performed for the Raptors 905 earlier than and after his launch, averaging 14.4 PPG, 8.7 APG, 3.1 RPG, and 1.9 SPG in 22 video games (31.9 MPG) for the G League membership. His taking pictures line was .411/.366/.781.
The Rockets had a pair of openings on their 21-man coaching camp roster, so no corresponding cuts had been essential to convey Maker and Nowell aboard.
Whereas Houston additionally technically has an open spot on its projected 15-man common season roster, Maker and Nowell appear extra more likely to find yourself enjoying for the Rockets’ G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. The Vipers acquired Nowell’s returning rights in a four-team commerce this week. If Maker and Nowell are waived by Houston after which spend no less than 60 days with Rio Grande Valley, they’d earn Exhibit 10 bonuses price as much as $77.5K.
