Tag: David Nwaba

Houston Rockets player salaries for 2021-22, future seasons

As Houston finalizes its roster for the 2021-22 regular season, here’s a rundown of what is on the salary books for this year and beyond.

Although the Houston Rockets are clearly rebuilding and in the early stages of a youth movement, they aren’t yet flush with cash.

For example, when the Rockets traded former MVP Russell Westbrook to Washington in December 2020, they took back another high-priced guard, John Wall. The Wizards had to send out a comparable annual salary figure to make the trade work under the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and Houston received a future first-round pick for taking on a contract that was viewed as less desirable. Even though Wall is no longer playing for the Rockets due to a mutual agreement, his contract remains on the books entering the 2021-22 season, with both parties hopeful of a trade once he is owed less money.

Thus, even though the Rockets began their rebuild by trading Westbrook and James Harden, they don’t yet have a clean financial slate. They also have veterans Eric Gordon and Danuel House Jr. who are still under contracts that were signed in 2019 — when Harden was still in Houston, and a rebuild wasn’t yet being planned by the front office.

Then again, it’s not as if Houston desperately needed cap space in 2021, anyway. Even if the Rockets had the financial ability to sign top free agents during this past offseason, it seems doubtful that any elite veteran player would have wanted to sign with a team that just finished the 2020-21 season with the NBA’s worst record. In a year or two, though, the Rockets could be viewed as a team on the rise with a young core led by Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr. and Christian Wood. In that context, Houston could quickly become a desirable destination for free agents.

That’s assuming they have the money, of course. Courtesy of the HoopsHype salary database, here’s a look at who second-year general manager Rafael Stone has on the books entering 2022 and beyond. This list is sorted by annual salary, ranging from the most to the least.

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VIDEOS: Houston Rockets interviews from 2021 media day

Houston’s interviews included Rafael Stone, Stephen Silas, Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., Christian Wood and John Wall. Hear from them here.

For the first time in two years, the Rockets held a traditional in-person media day on Monday at The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston. The luxury retreat is owned by team owner Tilman Fertitta.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly all media activities were virtual in the weeks leading up to the 2020-21 season. But that policy has changed for the 2021-22 campaign, and the Sept. 27 event was an opportunity for vaccinated media members to ask questions to veteran players like Christian Wood, Kevin Porter Jr., John Wall, Eric Gordon, Daniel Theis, Danuel House Jr., Jae’Sean Tate, and David Nwaba.

General manager Rafael Stone and head coach Stephen Silas also spoke on Monday, as did rookies Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun.

Scroll down for embedded videos of individual interview sessions, and check out the related links for more in-depth print coverage.

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John Wall, Christian Wood, Jalen Green lead Rockets’ ratings in NBA 2K22

John Wall, Christian Wood, and rookie Jalen Green have the three highest ratings among Rockets in the upcoming NBA 2K22 video game.

Point guard John Wall and center Christian Wood are expected to be the best players for the Houston Rockets in the 2021-22 NBA season, according to developers of the popular NBA 2K video game franchise. Players across the league are rated on a 1-to-100 scale in numerous categories, including a frequently disputed overall rating.

The game won’t officially be available until later this week on Friday, Sept. 10. However, that hasn’t stopped a handful of leaks across social media from users with early access. Here’s how Houston’s top nine players are ranked by overall rating, according to the NBA 2K22 team:

  • John Wall, 83
  • Christian Wood, 83
  • Jalen Green, 79
  • Eric Gordon, 78
  • Jae’Sean Tate, 77
  • Kevin Porter Jr., 77
  • KJ Martin, 76
  • Daniel Theis, 76
  • David Nwaba, 76

Wall is a five-time NBA All-Star over his distinguished career, while Wood was on track for a potential All-Star berth last season before his breakthrough year was derailed by an ill-timed ankle injury.

As for the others, Porter Jr. has already made it clear that he disagrees with his 77 rating, noting that he believes he should be in the 80s and ahead of rookies (such as Green) who have yet to play in the NBA.

Presumably, the remaining three members of Houston’s highly touted rookie class (Alperen Sengun, Josh Christopher, and Usman Garuba) will be rated lower than Porter Jr. and the other eight players on this leaked list. Each of those other three rookies was drafted much lower in the 2021 first round than Green, who was taken at No. 2 overall. That helps explain his lofty rating, even with an obvious lack of NBA experience.

The initial ratings list for the remainder of Houston’s 2021-22 roster should be made available when the game officially drops on Friday.

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Outlook: Offseason projections for 2020-21 Houston Rockets roster

With the 2020-21 regular season in the books, we look back at the performances of Houston’s roster and rank the likeliest to return.

For the first time in nearly 40 years, the Houston Rockets finished an NBA regular season with the league’s worst record in 2020-21. But that doesn’t mean the year was devoid of bright spots to build around.

Young center Christian Wood earned all-star consideration prior to a severe ankle sprain, and veteran point guard John Wall showed flashes of the form that made him a five-time All-Star earlier in his career. Prospects such as Jae’Sean Tate, Kevin Porter Jr. and KJ Martin burst onto the scene, punctuated by Porter’s historic game (50 points, 11 assists) in a feel-good victory over Milwaukee in late April. Porter, Tate, Martin and Wood were identified as the team’s “young core” to build around.

Veteran big man Kelly Olynyk also made quite an impression around Toyota Center by posting some of the best numbers of his career after his acquisition by Houston at the March 25 trade deadline.

Yet, the status of the franchise’s roster entering the 2021-22 season remains very much in flux. Given Houston’s newfound rebuilding state, general manager Rafael Stone is likely to leave no stone unturned (pardon the pun) in searching for free agency or trade upgrades and potential paths to acquiring another superstar talent — similar to what they had in James Harden, prior to Harden’s forced departure in January.

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There are also complicated decisions to be made involving free agents. For example, if Olynyk wants to stay, Houston has the financial means (Bird rights) to offer whatever it takes to get a deal done. But will he accept the type of proposal that could maintain financial flexibility for Stone to pursue better players in future offseasons? After all, while Olynyk was a good player with the Rockets, he’s certainly not a star.

With those types of considerations in mind, we’re ranking the team’s final 2020-21 roster by likelihood of returning — with categories of very likely, more likely than not, questionable and doubtful. Given Houston’s rebuilding state, it would be silly to call anything 100 percent or zero.

Keep in mind that there aren’t unlimited roster spots. For example, if Houston uses all three of its current 2021 first-round draft picks on players who are immediately available to play, that could require opening three roster spots by this fall. Similarly, any signing of an external free agent in August could take away a roster spot from a 2020-21 player.

Read on to see our tiers, with links to each individual player’s personal profiles and the factors likely to be considered.

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2020-21 Rockets roster review, offseason outlook: David Nwaba

Houston has Early Bird rights to potentially re-sign Nwaba, who was a key defensive player before being sidelined by a wrist injury.

Rockets Player: David Nwaba, 6-foot-5 guard/forward, 28 years old

Statistics in Houston: 9.2 points (48.6% FG, 27.0% on 3-pointers), 3.9 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per game

Professional Experience: Five NBA seasons

Contract Status: Free agent in 2021 offseason

Nwaba was arguably the most athletic and explosive player on Houston’s 2020-21 roster, showing no ill effects from last season’s torn Achilles. However, his season again ended early due to a wrist injury.

When healthy, Nwaba is an impactful player on defense and in transition. Moreover, since he was signed late in the 2019-20 season, the Rockets will have Early Bird rights on Nwaba this offseason — which could make it easier to retain him. However, Nwaba’s value has a clear ceiling, as long as his 3-point shot remains below average. In halfcourt sets, defenders routinely help off Nwaba, which can clog spacing.

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2020-21 Rockets roster review, offseason outlook: David Nwaba

Houston has Early Bird rights to potentially re-sign Nwaba, who was a key defensive player before being sidelined by a wrist injury.

Rockets Player: David Nwaba, 6-foot-5 guard/forward, 28 years old

Statistics in Houston: 9.2 points (48.6% FG, 27.0% on 3-pointers), 3.9 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per game

Professional Experience: Five NBA seasons

Contract Status: Free agent in 2021 offseason

Nwaba was arguably the most athletic and explosive player on Houston’s 2020-21 roster, showing no ill effects from last season’s torn Achilles. However, his season again ended early due to a wrist injury.

When healthy, Nwaba is an impactful player on defense and in transition. Moreover, since he was signed late in the 2019-20 season, the Rockets will have Early Bird rights on Nwaba this offseason — which could make it easier to retain him. However, Nwaba’s value has a clear ceiling, as long as his 3-point shot remains below average. In halfcourt sets, defenders routinely help off Nwaba, which can clog spacing.

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David Nwaba reaggravates wrist injury, out indefinitely for Rockets

“It’s kind of looking like how it was right before the All-Star break,” Stephen Silas said. “Surgery might be the next-best option for him.”

Defensive ace David Nwaba is likely to miss an extended period of time for the Houston Rockets after reaggravating his strained right wrist, according to comments made Tuesday by head coach Stephen Silas.

Before the All-Star break, the expectation was Nwaba would need surgery and miss approximately six weeks. However, the 6-foot-5 guard, who missed most of the 2019-20 season after tearing his Achilles, opted to explore non-surgical alternatives and returned in limited bench duty over the weekend, citing a desire to help his short-handed team.

Now, however, it appears surgery is inevitable. Here’s what Silas said before Tuesday’s home game versus Atlanta:

Nwaba is probably going to be out for quite a bit. He reaggravated it two games ago, and he came into my office and was like, ‘Yeah, it’s not looking good.’

So I guess he’s going to see the doctor, and have another opinion, but it’s kind of looking like how it was right before the All-Star break. Surgery might be the next-best option for him.

Now 28 years old, Nwaba has averaged 9.2 points (48.8% FG) and 3.9 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per game this season. He’s also one of Houston’s most valuable and versatile defensive players. Nwaba will be a free agent this offseason, but Houston will have Early Bird contractual rights to help retain him, should it desire to do that.

Nwaba’s attempt at returning earlier than expected was due in large part to the ravaged state of Houston’s roster. Among expected rotation players, the Rockets are also without Christian Wood (right ankle sprain), Danuel House Jr. (right knee contusion), John Wall (left knee contusion), Eric Gordon (right groin strain) and PJ Tucker (not with team, awaiting a trade). The Rockets entered Tuesday at 0-16 since Wood’s Feb. 4 injury, which is their longest losing streak as a franchise since moving to Houston in 1971. They were 7-1 in the eight previous games.

Wood and House could return as soon as Wednesday’s game versus Golden State, per Silas, while the Rockets are potentially targeting Friday against Detroit for Wall. All are part of an ongoing seven-game homestand, which is the longest of the 2020-21 season for Houston.

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David Nwaba plays through wrist injury for short-handed Rockets

The expectation had been for Nwaba to have surgery and miss six weeks, but he gutted it out Friday for undermanned Houston.

Before the All-Star break, the expectation was that Houston Rockets forward David Nwaba would have surgery on his ailing right wrist, which would sideline the veteran defensive stopper for about six weeks.

That hasn’t yet happened, with Nwaba and the Rockets attempting to exhaust all options for a non-surgical return before committing to that path. While Nwaba isn’t yet healthy, he played through the pain in limited minutes Friday to help out his reeling and short-handed team.

Head coach Stephen Silas explained before Friday’s game at Utah:

After last night’s game, Dave came up to me and was like, ‘I’m injured, but it’s hard for me to sit over there and watch when we’re so low on bodies, and we’re so decimated. And even though I’m not 100 percent, maybe I can give a little bit.’

To have that kind of character, to have that kind of attitude, is something that we need.

With rotation regulars such as Christian Wood, John Wall, Eric Gordon, and many more sidelined by injuries, the Rockets were down to only eight healthy players prior to Nwaba’s decision to play.

A 6-foot-5 swingman with explosive athleticism and considerable versatility on defense, Nwaba entered Friday averaging 9.4 points (49.3% FG) and 3.7 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per game.

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David Nwaba to miss at least six weeks for Rockets after wrist surgery

Head coach Stephen Silas announced the news during Wednesday’s pregame media session before the Rockets versus Nets game.

Veteran defensive ace David Nwaba will miss at least six weeks for the Houston Rockets after undergoing surgery on his ailing right wrist, head coach Stephen Silas said before Wednesday’s game. It’s an unfortunate setback for Nwaba, who had worked hard to get healthy after missing most of the NBA’s 2019-20 season due to a torn Achilles.

Silas said earlier in the week that Nwaba had injured his wrist during a dunk in Sunday’s loss to Memphis. A 6-foot-5 swingman with explosive athleticism and considerable versatility on defense, Nwaba has averaged 9.4 points (49.3% FG) and 3.7 rebounds in 22.6 minutes.

With Nwaba sidelined, the Rockets could potentially reinsert reserve guard Ben McLemore into his rotation spot. McLemore is nowhere near the defensive presence of Nwaba, but he’s a better 3-point shooter.

Now 28 years old, Nwaba’s contract expires after the 2020-21 season. However, the Rockets will have Early Bird contract rights to help retain him, if they desire, since he was signed late in the 2019-20 campaign. Thus, he’s technically in his second season with the Rockets.

Six weeks from early March puts Nwaba’s potential return date in mid-to-late April, which should allow him to play in at least some games before the 2020-21 regular season concludes in mid-May. Looking ahead, Nwaba’s uncertain status at the time of the NBA’s upcoming March 25 trade deadline might make him more likely to stay put in Houston.

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Despite another loss, Stephen Silas proud of effort by John Wall, Rockets

John Wall scored 32 on night two of a back-to-back, but it still wasn’t enough to keep the short-handed Rockets from a 12th straight loss.

Playing in both ends of a back-to-back for the first time all year, veteran guard John Wall (32 points, 5 assists) had enough to keep the Houston Rockets competitive in Monday’s home game versus Cleveland.

Yet, it still wasn’t enough to halt the ongoing losing streak by the Rockets (11-22), which is now at 12 games. Led by Collin Sexton’s 39 points, the Cavaliers (14-21) won their fourth straight, 101-90 (box score).

Victor Oladipo (20 points, 3 steals) played well after missing Sunday’s historic blowout loss to Memphis for planned maintenance. But even with Houston’s usual duo of starting guards back in action, the Rockets were still too short-handed at other positions throughout the roster.

Veteran guard Eric Gordon missed the second game of the back-to-back with left knee soreness, while starting forward Danuel House Jr. exited in the first half after bruising his right knee. David Nwaba, valued for his defense and energy off the bench, didn’t play at all due to a sore wrist.

Meanwhile, star center Christian Wood missed his 12th straight game due to the right ankle sprain he suffered on Feb. 4. The Rockets are 0-12 in this stretch without Wood after going 7-1 in the prior eight games.

With the star-studded Brooklyn Nets and former teammate James Harden headed to Houston on Wednesday night, it seems highly possible that the Rockets could enter the All-Star break on a 13-game skid.

For now, here’s a compilation of highlights and postgame reaction from Monday night’s loss to the Cavs at Toyota Center.

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