Tag: Kenny Wooten

Rio Grande Valley Vipers finalize roster for G League ‘bubble’ season

The roster for Houston’s affiliate features several players with NBA experience, including Josh Huestis, Ray Spalding, and Kenny Wooten.

The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, who are the NBA G League affiliate organization of the Houston Rockets, finalized their roster for the upcoming 2021 season at the Disney World “bubble” near Orlando.

The Vipers’ roster includes returning players William McDowell-White, Shawn Occeus, and Ray Spalding. In addition, 2021 NBA G League draftees Armoni Brooks and Jarron Cumberland are joining RGV.

The RGV roster now stands at 12, including two-way players Mason Jones and Brodric Thomas. All are eligible to join the squad at the “bubble” site when the season begins in February. (That said, since Jones currently has a rotation role with the short-handed Rockets, he might stay with the parent organization at the NBA level for a while longer.)

The complete roster can be seen below.

1  Armoni Brooks  |  Guard  |  6’3 | 195 |   Houston, | Draft
3  Jarron Cumberland  |   Guard  | 6’5 | 210 |   Cincinnati, | Draft
34 Josh Huestis  |  Forward  | 6’7 | 230 |   Stanford, | Returner
9 Mason Jones*  |  Guard  | 6’4 | 200 |   Arkansas, | Two-Way
5 William McDowell-White  |  Guard | 6’5 | 185 |   California State, | Returner
42 Trhae Mitchell  |  Forward  | 6’6 | 196 |   South Alabama, | Tryout
18 Shawn Occeus  |  Guard  |  6’4 | 210 |   Northeastern, | Returner
21 Trevelin Queen  |  Guard  | 6’6 | 190 |   New Mexico State, | Affiliate
23 Josh Reaves  |  Guard   | 6’4 | 214 |   Penn State, | Affiliate
26 Ray Spalding  |  Forward   | 6’9 | 225 |   Louisville, | Returner
33 Brodric Thomas*  |  Guard  | 6’5 | 185 |   Truman State. | Two-Way
0 Kenny Wooten  |  Forward   | 6’8 | 235 |   Oregon, | Affiliate

*Two-Way Player

The returning player rights to Josh Huestis were acquired by Rio Grande Valley via a trade with Austin Spurs during the 2019-20 season, and he returns to the United States after a stint with Bayern Munich (German Basketball League) last season. Josh Reaves, Kenny Wooten, and Trevelin Queen are joining the Vipers as affiliated players.

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Trhae Mitchell joins RGV as a local tryout player after finishing his collegiate career at South Alabama. In addition, nine players on the Vipers’ roster have previously signed an NBA contract, while seven have previously competed in the G League.

The 2021 NBA G League game and broadcast schedule will be announced at a later date. For more information, visit www.rgvipers.com. .

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Rockets waive Jerian Grant, Trevelin Queen, and Kenny Wooten

Houston began the process of narrowing its roster for the 2020-21 regular season by releasing two guards and a big man.

The Houston Rockets began the process of narrowing their roster for the 2020-21 season by waiving second-year big man Kenny Wooten, veteran guard Jerian Grant, and rookie swingman Trevelin Queen. NBA teams are allowed to carry significantly more players in training camp and exhibition games than during the regular season, which will force roster reductions across the league in the coming days.

All three of Houston’s waived players averaged 12 minutes per game or less during three preseason contests to date, so it was clear that none were among the preferred options for new head coach Stephen Silas.

With Wooten, Queen, and Grant gone, and Chris Clemons expected to be out for the season due to a torn Achilles, here’s how Houston’s active roster currently stands entering Thursday’s preseason finale.

Guards: James Harden, John Wall, Ben McLemore, Brodric Thomas (rookie), Mason Jones (rookie)
Swingmen: David Nwaba, Sterling Brown, Gerald Green
Forwards: PJ Tucker, Danuel House Jr., Jae’Sean Tate, Kenyon Martin Jr. (rookie)
Centers: Christian Wood, DeMarcus Cousins, Bruno Caboclo

The release of Wooten opens up a two-way contract slot for the Rockets, since that’s how he was claimed from the Knicks.

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Rockets claim prospect big man Kenny Wooten off waivers

A 6-foot-8 big man, Wooten averaged 7.6 points (64.3% FG), 6.1 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks in 24.9 minutes with New York’s G League affiliate.

The Houston Rockets made a successful waiver claim Saturday on Kenny Wooten, a 22-year-old prospect big man who played last season for the G League affiliate of the New York Knicks. The news was first reported by national NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic.

A 6-foot-8 big man, Wooten averaged 7.6 points (64.3% FG), 6.1 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks in 24.9 minutes per game with the Westchester Knicks. Wooten went undrafted in 2019 after two years at the University of Oregon before joining the Knicks and their G League affiliate.

Wooten is well regarded for his athleticism and shot-blocking presence, having made the NBA G League’s 2020 All-Defensive Team and the Pac-12’s All-Defensive Team in 2018 and 2019. In college, Wooten averaged 2.4 blocks in 21.8 minutes per game, and despite playing only two seasons, he finished as Oregon’s No. 3 all-time shot blocker.

The Knicks signed Wooten in January 2020 to a two-way contract for two seasons, which the Rockets are inheriting by making the waiver claim. Wooten ended up not playing in any game for New York, because shortly after signing that contract, he suffered a thumb injury that required surgery. He was then waived by the Knicks earlier this week.

It appears that Wooten and rookie guard Mason Jones will be Houston’s two two-way players for the upcoming 2020-21 season.

Based on the season’s delayed start and potential roster shortages due to COVID-19, the NBA’s standard rules for two-way players are being eased this year — with two-way players eligible to play in up to 50 games out of the regular-season total of 72. That’s a big change from the usual policy, which limits two-way players to 45 days of NBA service time (including not only games, but also practices and travel days).

The remainder of their contractual time is spent in the G League.

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Knicks to sign undrafted rookie Kenny Wooten to a two-way contract

Wooten is averaging 7.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.4 blocks and 1.2 assists in 22 games played in the G League this season.

The New York Knicks are reportedly planning to sign undrafted rookie Kenny Wooten to a two-way contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

In order to make room for Wooten, the Knicks will waive Ivan Rabb.

Wooten has spent the 2019-20 season with the Westchester Knicks in the G League. After a strong campaign with Westchester, the former Oregon forward had started gaining interest from other teams in the NBA.

Although Wooten plays within the Knicks organization, the rookie was considered to be a free agent and could have been signed at any time since he was on just a G League contract.

Wooten is averaging 7.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.4 blocks and 1.2 assists in 22 games played in the G League this season. He leads all G League players in total blocks and has established himself as an elite shot-blocker given his size and athleticism. In just two seasons at Oregon, Wooten swatted the third-most shots in program history.

By signing Wooten to a two-way contract, the Knicks can have an opportunity to evaluate his game at the NBA level. The signing also prevents the organization from potentially losing Wooten. Wooten could potentially opt against signing the two-way deal, in hopes of landing a standard deal from another team, but it sounds like he will join the Knicks.

The Knicks are in 14th place in the Eastern Conference at 11-29.

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