Tag: Trevor Hudgins

Trevor Hudgins sees Ime Udoka bringing fire, energy to Rockets

“He brings a fire and energy, almost like a chip-on-his-shoulder energy, to the whole organization,” #Rockets guard Trevor Hudgins says of new coach Ime Udoka.

As an undrafted rookie out of Northwest Missouri State, Trevor Hudgins bounced back and forth between the Houston Rockets and their NBA G League affiliate — the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers — while on a two-way contract during the 2022-23 season.

In a new podcast interview with Kelly Iko of The Athletic, Hudgins said he appreciated the guidance of former head coach Stephen Silas as he acclimated to life as a professional player.

But he’s also adjusting quickly to Ime Udoka, who replaced Silas. Here’s what Hudgins told Iko after working with Udoka and his new assistant coaches during unofficial practices in recent days:

I like coach Udoka, too. He brings a fire and energy, almost like a chip-on-his-shoulder type energy, to the whole organization.

He was probably one of the top hires for a lot of teams. Everyone saw what he did for the Celtics. They’re a playoff, championship-level team.

He comes to the Rockets, and people know we were struggling. We’re a young group, and we need some leadership and veterans. People see everything from the outside, but he comes in and he has that fire. He’s helping us a lot to grow, both individually and as a team. I feel like he’s very good for us.

Even the assistants he brought from Boston, they’re excited and ready to go. They bring that energy. Energy is contagious, and I feel like they bring that every single day. It gets us more excited to get better, and play ball with each other. I’m very excited for this year.

The complete episode can be listened to below via The IkoSystem with Kelly Iko. As for Hudgins, who averaged 20 points (37.8% on 3-pointers), 6.1 assists, 1.7 turnovers and 38.7 minutes per game with the Vipers. He becomes a free agent in July.

It remains to be seen whether the 24-year-old guard fits in Udoka’s plans for the Rockets for the 2023-24 season.

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Player salaries, payroll for Houston Rockets after 2023 trade deadline

Including moves at February’s trade deadline, here’s a look at Houston’s active salaries and dead money entering a critical 2023 offseason. #Rockets

For the young and rebuilding Houston Rockets, their roster to finish the 2022-23 season is all about flexibility.

Much of the roster is comprised of highly touted draft prospects from recent years such as Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun. Because these players are on their initial NBA contracts, their annual salaries are relatively inexpensive by league standards.

Houston does have some veterans, but maintaining its salary cap space of roughly $60 million for a critical 2023 offseason was a priority in selecting who those veterans are.

For example, of the three veterans acquired and initially retained at the 2023 trade deadline — Danny Green, Justin Holiday and Frank Kaminsky — none has any guaranteed money owed beyond this season. Thus, for general manager Rafael Stone, their acquisition preserved the balance sheet as it’s been carefully set up over the years.

Here is Houston’s roster as the league year winds down. This list is sorted in ascending order from least to most, financially, during the 2022-23 season, according to HoopsHype salary data. Any potential earnings for each Rockets player as part of his current contract are noted beneath each photo.

2022-2023 Houston Rockets roster after the trade deadline

Here’s where the #Rockets stand with their roster, coaching staff, and basketball operations department as the 2022-23 season winds down and a critical 2023 offseason approaches.

After the February 2023 trade deadline, the Houston Rockets remain one of the NBA’s youngest teams. Yet, they have something of a veteran presence after adding Danny Green, Justin Holiday and Frank Kaminsky as part of their complicated web of transactions.

While none has a contract beyond the 2022-23 season, the Rockets will acquire Bird rights for each. Thus, general manager Rafael Stone will have options moving forward.

By and large, the rebuilding Rockets have prioritized youth and salary flexibility in building their current group.

That’s why it’s a combination of highly touted prospects Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. along with veterans Danny Green, Holiday and Kaminsky expiring salaries. Sengun and Smith are on their initial NBA contracts, which inherently makes them cheaper for the time being.

That formula is likely to change this offseason, when Stone and the Rockets have approximately $60 million in salary cap space to build a roster around those talented young prospects. They will need to explore contract extensions and raises for many of their young players in the coming years. For now, they’re making the best of another challenging season by staying flexible with the roster.

Here’s a look at where the Houston roster and basketball operations staff currently stands, along with jersey numbers and other relevant information for each player. All ages are as of Feb. 14, 2023.

Houston’s G League affiliate, Rio Grande Valley, announces 2022-23 roster

The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, NBA G League affiliate of the #Rockets, have announced their official roster for the 2022-23 season. Here’s a rundown of the squad.

The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, official NBA G League affiliate organization of the Houston Rockets, have finalized their roster for the upcoming 2022-23 season. The full schedule for the Vipers, defending G League champions, is available here and begins with a road opener at Mexico City on Sunday, Nov. 6.

Excluding players who are sent down from the parent NBA club, players at RGV do not have NBA contracts and are thus eligible to be signed by any NBA team. However, because the Vipers are led by coaches and systems affiliated with the Rockets, Houston will have a much closer look and more intimate knowledge regarding whether a given prospect is potentially a good fit with the parent club.

The Vipers’ roster includes returning players Trhae Mitchell, Kahlil Whitney, and Ray Spalding. RGV’s roster now stands at 12 players, including two-way players Darius Days and Trevor Hudgins. Unlike most players, Days and Hudgins are under contract with the Rockets, which prevents them from being signed by another team.

Scroll on for an biographical look (in alphabetical order) at the initial Vipers roster, which features multiple players with NBA experience and also includes rookie guard Eron Gordon — yes, the younger brother of veteran Rockets guard Eric Gordon.

Full Houston Rockets 17-player payroll for 2022-23 NBA season

Now that Houston’s roster is set for the 2022-23 regular season, here’s an updated look at what each #Rockets player will make financially this season.

The Houston Rockets remain one of the youngest teams in the NBA. Yet, entering what is considered by most as the third season of a franchise rebuild, clear signs of optimism are emerging.

The optimism starts with second-year guard Jalen Green, who looks to have picked up where he left off in his dynamic 2021-22 rookie season. In case you forgot, that’s when he finished with an historic scoring burst that led to a spot on the league’s All-Rookie first team.

There’s also Jabari Smith Jr., selected by Houston at No. 3 overall in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft. For Smith, this season offers an opportunity to justify that lofty draft placement and show his potential as a future franchise cornerstone alongside Green.

Combine that duo with promising young players like Alperen Sengun, Tari Eason, KJ Martin and recently extended guard Kevin Porter Jr., and it’s easy to see the reasons for optimism. That youth is also why the Rockets are a relatively inexpensive team, particularly if excluding dead money in the form of former players (i.e. John Wall).

With that in mind, here is the full Rockets roster and salaries entering the 2022-23 regular season. This version reflects all moves made to trim from Houston’s 20-man roster at training camp to the NBA’s limit of 15 standard contracts and two two-way deals for the season, such as the recent waiving of veteran big man Derrick Favors.

This list is sorted in ascending order from least to most, financially, during the 2022-23 season, according to HoopsHype salary data. Any potential future earnings for each Rockets player as part of his current contract are noted beneath each photo.

2022-2023 Houston Rockets roster

With Derrick Favors waived and Darius Days added to a two-way deal, here’s a look at the official Houston Rockets roster entering the NBA’s 2022-23 regular season.

The Houston Rockets remain one of the NBA’s youngest teams. Yet, entering what is considered by most as the third season of a franchise rebuild, there are clear signs of optimism beginning to emerge.

It starts with second-year guard Jalen Green and rookie forward Jabari Smith Jr., who each excelled in the recently completed preseason while helping lead the Rockets to a 3-1 record as a team.

For Green, he looks to have picked up where he left off in his dynamic 2021-22 rookie season, which finished with a historic scoring burst that led to his spot on the league’s All-Rookie First Team.

For Smith, selected by Houston at No. 3 overall in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft, this season offers an opportunity to justify that lofty draft placement and show his potential as a future cornerstone.

Combine that duo with other promising young players like Alperen Sengun, Tari Eason, KJ Martin, and recently extended guard Kevin Porter Jr., and it’s easy to see some of the reasons for optimism.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the full Rockets roster entering the 2022-23 regular season. This version includes all moves made to trim from Houston’s 20-man roster at training camp to the NBA’s limit of 15 standard contracts and two two-way deals for the season, such as the recent waiving of veteran big man Derrick Favors.

Player grades, statistics: How Rockets fared at 2022 NBA summer league

With rookies Tari Eason (A) and Jabari Smith Jr. (B+) leading the way, here’s our look back at what we learned about the Rockets during 2022 NBA summer league action.

With the NBA’s 2022 summer league officially in the books, we’re taking a look back at the performances of the young Houston Rockets.

The Rockets went 2-3 in Las Vegas, though it should be noted that they were 2-1 with a complete roster. They finished 0-2 after shutting down leading scorer Josh Christopher (right hip soreness) midway through.

Shooting struggles were a recurring issue. Of Houston’s nine rotation players, only two — Tari Eason and Daishen Nix — shot over 40% from the field. Nix was the only player to break 35% on 3-pointers.

Yet, the Rockets were still competitive throughout summer league play thanks in large part to their defense, which was spearheaded by the rookie duo of Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. in the frontcourt. Houston had hoped going in to also have second-year forward Usman Garuba as a defensive anchor, but he was unable to play due to injury.

Scroll on for 2022 summer league statistics, player grades, highlights, and key takeaways involving Houston’s nine consistent rotation players in Las Vegas: Christopher, Eason, Nix, Smith, TyTy Washington, Anthony Lamb, Trevor Hudgins, Trhae Mitchell, and Aric Holman. Grades are relative to realistic expectations for each player going in.

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Rockets sign Division II star Trevor Hudgins to two-way contract

Hudgins was named the Division II Player of the Year after averaging 23 points, 4.3 assists and 2.4 rebounds last season.

Trevor Hudgins, an undrafted guard from Northwest Missouri State in Division II, signed a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets, the team announced.

He is the first player from the program to sign an NBA contract.

Hudgins was named the Division II Player of the Year after averaging 23 points, 4.3 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 39 games last season as a senior. Behind Hudgins, the Bearcats won their third consecutive national championship.

The 23-year-old leaves as the all-time scoring leader (2,829) in program history. He also has the record for most career 3-pointers (435), 3-pointers in a season (168) and points scored in a season (897) among other accomplishments.

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Hudgins will split his time between Houston and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA G League. He is eligible to spend no more than 50 games in the NBA and will earn a flat salary equal to 50% of the minimum salary applicable to a player with zero years of service.

The news of the pact between Hudgins and the Rockets was first reported on draft night and the team made it official ahead of the Las Vegas Summer League. He is expected to participate as the team begins play on July 7.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Rockets officially sign, begin practices with 2022 rookie class

The Rockets are holding their first practices of the 2022-23 league year after signing contracts with four rookies: Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, TyTy Washington, and Trevor Hudgins.

With the NBA’s 2022-23 fiscal year officially starting on Friday, the Houston Rockets quickly got to business by signing four rookies.

Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr., the No. 3 overall draft pick of the 2022 first round, signed his first NBA contract, as did LSU forward Tari Eason (No. 17) and Kentucky guard TyTy Washington (No. 29). Those three are all on standard four-year rookie deals, with team options for the last two seasons and a qualifying offer that can be made after year four.

The league has a set salary scale for rookie deals each year, depending on draft slot. Teams can pay from 80% to 120% of that number, though 120% is the industry standard. For Smith, Eason, and Washington, 120% of slot value would mean first-year salaries of $8.9 million, $3.4 million, and $2.2 million, respectively, with gradual raises for years two and three and larger bumps for the fourth-year options and qualifying offers.

The Rockets also signed undrafted rookie guard Trevor Hudgins, who played at Division II’s Northwest Missouri State, to one of their two two-way contracts. Two-way deals allow players to shuttle back and forth between the NBA and G League, albeit with limitations on service time. Hudgins will effectively fill the roster spot of Trevelin Queen, who was a two-way player last season before signing with Philadelphia this week.

Given the new league year and official contract signings, the Rockets also began holding official practices Friday as they prep for 2022 summer league action starting Thursday, July 7. Photos from the debut practice involving Houston’s 2022 rookie class are available below.

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https://www.facebook.com/houstonrockets/posts/pfbid0mQhBiW11q5n5vkAihSrbLBdK1Xw87HFzbTpdHexyLPChCHJEiUDpmkMrz6SiJDLJl

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Rockets sign rookie guard Trevor Hudgins as undrafted free agent

Northwest Missouri State guard Trevor Hudgins, a two-time Division II Player of the Year, is joining the Rockets for summer league (and perhaps beyond) on a two-way contract.

The Houston Rockets made plenty of waves in Thursday’s 2022 NBA draft with the selections of Auburn forward Jabari Smith, LSU forward Tari Eason, and Kentucky guard TyTy Washington in the first round.

The Smith selection came as a late surprise, since most mock drafts had projected him at No. 1 to Orlando. But when the Magic shocked the NBA world by taking Duke’s Paolo Banchero, instead, Houston ended up with one of the draft’s best shooters and most versatile defenders.

The Rockets did not have any second-round selections. But that does not mean that the team is done as they evaluate rookie options.

Once the draft concluded late Thursday night, the Rockets began reaching deals with undrafted free agents, who they can put onto their summer league roster once play begins in Las Vegas on July 7.

The first move to leak was Northwest Missouri State guard Trevor Hudgins signing a two-way contract. Hudgins is a two-time Division II Player of the Year. Other additions will be announced in the coming days.

Scroll on for a look at Hudgins receiving the official call from the Rockets, along with his social media reaction and highlights.

The two-way contract, of which Houston only has two at a given time to hand out, could indicate that Hudgins is a real consideration to earn a 2022-23 training camp invite, as well. First on the agenda is summer league, which is when he’ll look to make a strong impression.

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