Tag: Willie Cauley-Stein

Willie Cauley-Stein has an interesting answer when asked about Kentucky vs Arkansas

Willie Cauley-Stein was asked if he roots for Kentucky or Arkansas.

John Calipari landed a lot of top recruits in his time coaching Kentucky basketball, and produced a lot of quality NBA players. Now that he has moved on to Arkansas, many of those players are being questioned as to which school they now support.

Cauley-Stein played for the Wildcats under Coach Cal from 2012 through 2015 before entering the NBA draft and becoming the sixth overall selection by the Sacramento Kings.

Related: How every former Wildcat did in the NBA Summer League

Current Wildcat guard Kerr Kriisa spoke to the former Wildcat, and asked him about who he roots for: his college team, or his college coach. Cauley-Stein had a diplomatic answer, saying:

I’m rocking what I’m rocking. I’m neutral. So, my wife went to Arkansas, too. She played ball at Arkansas. Anytime Arkansas is on the TV, my wife would watch, and I was like, turn that off. I’m not trying to watch Arkansas. Overnight I was like, ah, I kinda got to watch Arkansas now.

It’s an answer that really shouldn’t surprise anyone. It’s natural for any player to be loyal to both the team they played for, and the coach that got them to the NBA. So while he may enjoy seeing Cal succeed at his new home, he will still root for Kentucky basketball too.

Report: Rockets won’t renew 10-day contract for Willie Cauley-Stein

Veteran NBA center Willie Cauley-Stein won’t be sticking around with the #Rockets once his 10-day contract expires later this week, @MarkBermanFox26 reports.

Due to NBA roster rules, the Houston Rockets recently signed veteran big man Willie Cauley-Stein to a 10-day contract. Cauley-Stein has played most of the 2022-23 season with the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, Houston’s NBA G League affiliate.

Now, it appears Cauley-Stein will soon be going back. As first reported by Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston, the Rockets will not offer a second 10-day contract to the 28-year-old center. That will make Cauley-Stein eligible to be signed by other NBA teams — and if he is not signed, a return to the Vipers could be in play.

With centers Alperen Sengun, Usman Garuba and Boban Marjanovic already on the roster, it wasn’t as if the Rockets signed Cauley-Stein to fill a potential need. Rather, the team simply had to sign someone to meet the league’s requirement for 14 standard contracts, and rewarding Cauley-Stein was a nice touch after he spent a year with Houston’s developmental affiliate.

In an obvious rebuilding situation, Houston’s priority is to evaluate younger options already on its roster. Thus, adding a player like Cauley-Stein with no expectations of playing time made sense.

Now, as was the case after Houston’s trade deadline moves, the team can be below the 14-player roster limit for up to two weeks. Thus, with no path to minutes, there wouldn’t seem to be much of a reason to keep Cauley-Stein around and languishing at the end of an NBA bench (and paying him an NBA salary) at a time the Rockets aren’t required to have that roster spot filled.

When the two-week clock next expires in late March, general manager Rafael Stone will have to make another roster move for the Rockets at that time. He could bring Cauley-Stein back for a second 10-day stint, or another external move may be made, instead.

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Rockets signing veteran center Willie Cauley-Stein to 10-day contract

To comply with the NBA’s roster rules, the #Rockets are signing veteran center Willie Cauley-Stein to a 10-day contract, as first reported by The Athletic.

To comply with NBA roster rules, the Houston Rockets are signing veteran center Willie Cauley-Stein to a 10-day contract, as first reported by Shams Charania and Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

After their trade deadline moves and subsequent buyouts, the Rockets had dipped below the league’s required number of 14 players on standard contracts. Monday was the deadline to comply, and Stone chose to do so by rewarding Cauley-Stein, an NBA veteran who has played for Houston’s G League affiliate this season.

A 7-foot-0, 240-pound center, Cauley-Stein has averaged 9.4 points (64.5% FG, 35.7% on 3-pointers), 6.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.3 blocks in 28.3 minutes per game with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

Now 28 years old, Cauley-Stein was the No. 6 pick in the 2015 NBA draft by Sacramento and has played seven NBA seasons.

Statistically, Cauley-Stein’s best years came in his original NBA home, Sacramento. In a two-season span from 2017-18 through 2018-19, Cauley-Stein averaged 12.3 points (52.8% FG), 7.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 27.6 minutes per game.

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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.

Rockets officially sign Willie Cauley-Stein, who appears bound for G League

In a move reportedly being done to secure G League rights for Houston’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers affiliate, the #Rockets officially signed veteran big man Willie Cauley-Stein.

In confirmation of long expected news, the Rockets officially signed veteran big man Willie Cauley-Stein on Sunday. The move is reportedly being done to secure Cauley-Stein’s G League rights for Houston’s developmental affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

The Rockets already have a lengthy NBA depth chart at center. Bruno Fernando, Usman Garuba, Derrick Favors and Boban Marjanovic are in the mix to back up starter Alperen Sengun. However, the presence of Cauley-Stein in the G League could provide a pipeline to tap into after injuries or other roster moves.

Now 28 years old, Cauley-Stein was the No. 6 pick in the 2015 NBA draft by Sacramento. The 7-foot big man, who previously played at the University of Kentucky, played only sparingly in 20 games (mostly mop-up duty) with Dallas and Philadelphia last season.

Cauley-Stein hasn’t been a consistent NBA rotation player since the 2020-21 campaign, so it makes sense he would have to work his way back into the league with a strong G League showing.

Statistically, Cauley-Stein’s best years came in his original NBA home, Sacramento. In a two-season span from 2017-18 through 2018-19, Cauley-Stein averaged 12.3 points (52.8% FG), 7.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 27.6 minutes per game.

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Report: Willie Cauley-Stein likely bound for Houston’s G League hub

The Rockets still haven’t made the Willie Cauley-Stein signing official, but there may not be a huge rush, since he reportedly is being signed to secure his G League rights.

The Houston Rockets reportedly reached an agreement more than a month ago to sign veteran NBA center Willie Cauley-Stein. Yet, with training camp for the 2022-23 season only a few days away, he still isn’t actually on the roster, which remains full.

There’s a very plausible reason for the delay. While Houston reportedly has no plans for three of the players (Trey Burke, Sterling Brown, and Marquese Chriss) acquired from Dallas for salary matching purposes in the Christian Wood trade and could easily release one to clear a roster spot, if needed, they are eligible to again be used for matching salary purposes in a trade — this time, by the Rockets.

So, for general manager Rafael Stone, it makes sense to exhaust any trade possibilities before cutting one (or more) of that trio and signing a new player, whose salary would be ineligible to be dealt until midseason. The only hard deadline is prior to the Oct. 19 start of Houston’s regular season, which is when the current NBA offseason roster limit of 20 players shrinks to 15 plus two two-way contracts.

It all makes sense, but one potential casualty of a delay is Cauley-Stein, himself, since he will not be on the floor and practicing with his new NBA team when training camp begins. According to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, that may not be a big factor, since Cauley-Stein is likely bound for the G League, anyway.

In a story published Friday, Feigen writes:

There was a report about Willie Cauley-Stein over the summer. It seems most likely that he will sign after the first cuts but only be on the roster a short time to get his G League rights. He’ll get a chance to work his way back to the NBA with the (Rio Grande Valley) Vipers but would not seem to be part of the 15-2 (roster) plans.

Now 28 years old, Cauley-Stein was the No. 6 pick in the 2015 NBA draft by Sacramento. The 7-foot big man, who played at the University of Kentucky, played only sparingly in 20 games (mostly mop-up duty) with Dallas and Philadelphia last season.

Since Cauley-Stein hasn’t been a consistent NBA rotation player since 2020-21, it makes sense he may have to work his way back into the league with a strong G League showing.

Statistically, Cauley-Stein’s best years came in his original NBA home with the Kings. In a two-season span from 2017-18 through 2018-19, Cauley-Stein averaged 12.3 points (52.8% FG), 7.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 27.6 minutes per game.

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Report: Rockets expected to keep Boban Marjanović into regular season

Marc Stein: “League sources say that the Rockets, as it stands, are still operating under the belief that Boban Marjanović has a place on their opening-night roster.”

The Houston Rockets have clearly prioritized backup center depth this offseason, underscored by recent additions Willie Cauley-Stein (still not official) and Bruno Fernando. With second-year prospect Alperen Sengun entering his first season as a starter and coming off fouling difficulties as a rookie, depth is a priority. Training camp should be competitive, with multiple options jostling for minutes.

But when Houston inevitably trims its 2022-23 roster at the end of the preseason from the NBA’s 20-man offseason limit to 15 for the regular season (plus two two-way players), one name behind Sengun already appears somewhat secure in his roster status.

In his latest newsletter, veteran NBA scribe Marc Stein reports:

League sources say that the Rockets, as it stands, are still operating under the belief that Boban Marjanović has a place on their opening night roster despite an apparent frontcourt logjam. Alperen Şengün is projected to start at center for Houston, leaving Bruno Fernando and the recently signed Willie Cauley-Stein to scrap for reserve minutes alongside Marjanović.

Marjanović was acquired by the Rockets in the June trade that sent prior starting center Christian Wood to Dallas.

A 7-foot-3, 290-pound traditional post presence, Marjanović has averaged 5.9 points (57.4% FG) per game and 3.8 rebounds in 9.2 minutes over his NBA career. Now 34 years old, the massive Serbian center has played in only select matchups for most of his teams, typically when size and bulk are seen as an asset due to the opponent. When facing teams with more quickness and shooting in the frontcourt, Marjanović’s relative lack of athleticism and fluidity can be problematic for his own team on defense.

Yet, part of the value equation with Marjanović goes beyond on-court production, with many of his past teams citing intangible factors that make him important to team chemistry. That could be important for a young, impressionable squad like these Rockets.

So, once Houston opens its training camp in late September, the dynamic could be a bit unusual for players such as Cauley-Stein and Fernando. On most nights, minutes at backup center will truly be there for the taking, since Marjanović isn’t likely to be a consistent rotation player. Yet, for reasons that go beyond nightly on-court production and statistics, Marjanović appears poised to still take one of those 15 roster spots for standard contracts. In addition, the Rockets are very unlikely to keep three center-only backups on their final roster, particularly if none are seen as having high long-term upside.

If Marjanović sticks, Cauley-Stein and Fernando should have a real chance (along with second-year prospect Usman Garuba) to earn rotation minutes as Houston’s backup center. But the loser(s) of that race — excluding Garuba, since he was a 2021 first-round pick — isn’t likely to have a fallback option at the end of the bench. The probable outcome is a release due to in-season roster constraints.

Keeping Marjanović is the first of many dominoes. Stay tuned!

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Rockets add to backup center depth by signing Willie Cauley-Stein

Willie Cauley-Stein will join Bruno Fernando as potential backup center candidates with the Rockets behind new starter Alperen Sengun. Both will be evaluated during training camp.

The Houston Rockets went into the 2022 offseason wanting to add depth at center behind first-year starter Alperen Sengun. Two weeks after bringing back Bruno Fernando on a training camp deal, they’re bringing former NBA draft lottery pick Willie Cauley-Stein into the fold under a similar arrangement.

“Free agent center Willie Cauley-Stein has agreed to a one-year deal with the Houston Rockets,” The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Friday. “Cauley-Stein will compete for a roster spot in training camp.”

Now 28 years old, Cauley-Stein was the No. 6 pick in the 2015 NBA draft by Sacramento. The 7-foot big man, who played at the University of Kentucky, played sparingly in 20 games (mostly mop-up duty) with Dallas and Philadelphia last season.

Cauley-Stein was fairly productive as a rotation player for the Mavericks in the previous season (2020-21). He averaged 5.3 points (63.2% FG) and 4.5 rebounds in 17.1 minutes. Dallas earned the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference playoffs that season.

Statistically, Cauley-Stein’s best years came in his original NBA home with the Kings. In a two-season span from 2017-18 through 2018-19, Cauley-Stein averaged 12.3 points (52.8% FG), 7.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 27.6 minutes per game.

The Rockets have a full roster, but it will not be a problem to create a roster spot, since at least three of the four players acquired from Dallas in the Christian Wood trade (Marquise Chriss, Boban Marjanovic, Sterling Brown and Trey Burke) aren’t expected to be kept. According to reports, Marjanovic is the only potential keeper.

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Sixers to terminate Willie Cauley-Stein’s 10-day, sign DeAndre Jordan

The Philadelphia 76ers will terminate Willie Cauley-Stein’s 10-day deal and sign DeAndre Jordan to a deal.

The Philadelphia 76ers will have a new backup big man behind Joel Embiid on Thursday as they will officially sign DeAndre Jordan to a deal. The 14-year veteran out of Texas A&M was waived by the Los Angeles Lakers after playing in 32 games and averaging 4.1 points and 5.4 rebounds.

While Jordan is not nearly the player he once was while playing for Doc Rivers during their time with the Los Angeles Clippers, he is a guy who they can count on to give a few minutes each night and at least be an athletic presence.

The Sixers did have an open roster spot to sign Jordan, but Philadelphia has decided to terminate Willie Cauley-Stein’s 10-day contract making him free to sign elsewhere. He played in two games for the Sixers all in garbage time.

As the Sixers now move forward, they have to decide if Jordan is the missing piece for their bench unit. The second group has been inconsistent and Jordan is a little older out on the floor. It will be interesting to see how they handle all of this.

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

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Sixers plan to use Willie Cauley-Stein more to get a better look at him

The Philadelphia 76ers plan on using Willie Cauley-Stein a bit more on the floor to get a better look at him.

CAMDEN, N.J.–The Philadelphia 76ers have a lot of work to do in terms of making sure they are all on the same page before the playoffs begin in mid-April. While the focus will remain on integrating James Harden into the fold, they also need a backup center.

While Paul Millsap, also acquired in the Harden deal, is a proven veteran, this is his 16th season in the league. It looks as if he has lost a step out there against the more athletic big men in the league.

The Sixers did sign Willie Cauley-Stein to a 10-day deal and he has only played a handful of minutes–in garbage time–and he hasn’t had a chance to show what he can do. With only so much time left to evaluate what he can do, the Sixers want to give him more of a look over the next few games.

“We didn’t do enough in practice to see anything, honestly, but we do anticipate using him quickly,” said coach Doc Rivers at practice on Tuesday. “We just gotta see what he can do for us. We need a rim protector and he can do that. He can supply that.”

Cauley-Stein averages 0.8 blocks per game for his career, but standing at 7-feet tall, he brings something to the Sixers as a guy off the bench who can provide size and rebounding. He can also intimidate incoming ball-handlers and make them think twice at the rim.

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

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