NBA veteran Boban Marjanovic was beloved by players and many others throughout the Houston Rockets organization in 2022-23. The 7-foot-3 center drew rave reviews for his positivity among younger players and his positive impact on the team’s culture.
Now, as the Rockets transition to the second phase of their rebuild (and with Ime Udoka as head coach, rather than Stephen Silas), it appears there’s still a role for the Serbian big man.
As first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Marjanovic is signing a new deal to return to the Rockets for the 2023-24 season.
Marjanovic — one of the most popular teammates and marketable players in the league — is beginning his ninth season in the NBA and stays with a Rockets organization that appreciated his presence on and off the court.
Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle adds:
Marjanović is an enormously popular figure around the NBA for his jovial demeanor and amiable approach to his career and was considered a valuable example for the young Rockets last season.
Marjanovic was a free agent after last season. Financial terms of the deal were not released, but seem likely to be near the league’s minimum salary, since he played only sparingly.
In 31 games last season, Marjanovic averaged 3.3 points (68.3% FG) and 1.9 rebounds in 5.5 minutes. He’s a highly skilled offensive big man with soft touch around the rim, though his size often makes him a liability on defense. He was primarily used either in mop-up duty or in limited matchups against traditional big men, which might minimize his defensive shortcomings.
As the Rockets and other teams throughout his eight-year NBA career see it, the primary value of having Marjanovic is realized in many areas beyond the traditional on-court settings.
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