Houston Rockets Team Salary

Quick: Over the cap and hard-capped by the Christian Wood sign-and-trade.

Salary Cap: $109,140,000

Luxury Tax Threshold: $132,627,000

Hard Cap: $138,928,000

Projection for 2021-22 ($112,414,000 cap): Up to $20.8 million, none with Victor Oladipo’s cap hold.

Roster Count: 11 guaranteed, four non/partially-guaranteed, two two-ways

Depth Chart
PG: John Wall, Dante Exum, Chris Clemons (injured)
SG: Victor Oladipo, David Nwaba, Eric Gordon, Ben McLemore, Mason Jones (two-way), Brodric Thomas (two-way)
SF: Jae’Sean Tate, Danuel House, Sterling Brown, KJ Martin, Rodions Kurucs
PF: P.J. Tucker
C: Christian Wood, DeMarcus Cousins

Note: Teams often adjust their depth chart throughout the season, sometimes game by game.

Exceptions

Trade Exception (Clint Capela, expiring 3/19/21) — $3,595,333
Trade Exception (Gerald Green, expiring 3/19/21) — $1,620,564
Trade Exception (Nene, expiring 3/19/21) — $784,601
Trade Exception (Jordan Bell, expiring 3/22/21) — $1,620,564
Trade Exception (Austin Rivers, expiring 8/12/21*) — $2,174,318
Trade Exception (Russell Westbrook, expiring 9/1/21*) — $103,894
Trade Exception (James Harden, expiring 11/22/21*) — $10,654,920
Mid-Level Exception — $6,913,993 (Jae’Sean Tate, KJ Martin)
Bi-Annual Exception — $3,623,000

* Exact date TBD

Non-Guaranteed Salaries — Next Cut-Down Date*

DeMarcus Cousins $2,564,753 — 2/24/21
David Nwaba $1,824,003 — TBD
Chris Clemons $1,517,981 — 2/24/21
Jae’Sean Tate $1,445,697 ($500,000 guaranteed) — 2/24/21

* Players and teams can agree to push back cut-down dates but no later than 2/24/21.

Waived Players: Jerian Grant, Kenny Wooten, Trevelin Queen, Trey Mourning, William McDowell-White, Gerald Green, Josh Reaves, Bruno Caboclo

Traded Players: Robert Covington, Trevor Ariza, Austin Rivers (sign-and-trade), Russell Westbrook, James Harden

G-League Affiliate: Rio Grande Valley Vipers (general manager Jimmy Paulis, head coach Matt Brase)

Two-Way Contracts: Mason Jones, Brodric Thomas

Governor: Tilman Fertitta

Basketball Executives

Rafael Stone — general manager
Eli Witus — executive vice president of basketball operations and assistant general manager
Keith Jones — senior vice president of basketball operations

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Stephen Silas

Assistants: John Lucas, Jeff Hornacek, Will Weaver, Rick Higgins, DeSagana Diop

Trainers: Jason Biles (head athletic trainer/director of athlete care & science, Willie Cruz (director of athletic performance)

Pick Swaps

2021 — Owed a first-rounder (lottery protected through 2027, otherwise converts to a 2027 second-rounder) from the Portland Trail Blazers (Robert Covington).
2021 — Owed a first-rounder (top-16 protected through 2022, top-18 protected through 2024, top-13 protected in 2025, top-11 protected in 2026, top-9 protected in 2027, otherwise conveys as 2027 second-rounder) from the Detroit Pistons (Christian Wood).
2021 — The Oklahoma City Thunder can swap the lower of the Miami HEAT or their own pick with the Rockets, provided the Houston pick is 5-30 (Russell Westbrook)
2021 — The Rockets can swap first-rounders (from the Portland Trail Blazers, Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder or Rockets) with the Brooklyn Nets (James Harden).
2021 — Can swap second-rounders with the Philadelphia 76ers (James Ennis).
2022 — Owed a first-rounder from the Milwaukee Bucks (George Hill, Ilkan Karaman, James Harden).
2022 — Owed a first-rounder from the Brooklyn Nets (James Harden).
2022 — Owe a second-rounder to the Cleveland Cavaliers (Alec Burks).
2023 — Owed a first-rounder (lottery protected in 2023, top-12 in 2024, top-10 in 2025, top-8 in 2026, otherwise converts to 2026 and 2027 second-rounders) from the Washington Wizards (John Wall).
2023 — Can swap first-rounders with the Brooklyn Nets (James Harden).
2023 — The higher second-rounder from the Miami HEAT and Dallas Mavericks to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The higher of (the lower second-rounder from Miami and Dallas) and the Houston Rockets (33-60) goes to the Boston Celtics. The pick that does not go to Boston (including Houston 31-32) goes to the Pacers (Josh McRoberts, Delon Wright, Bruno Caboclo, Desmond Bane, James Johnson, James Harden).
2024 — Owed a first-rounder from the Brooklyn Nets (James Harden).
2024 — Owed second-rounder from the Golden State Warriors (Eric Paschall, Clint Capela).
2024 — Owe a first-rounder (top-four protected, otherwise converts to 2024 and 2025 second-rounders) to the Oklahoma City Thunder (Russell Westbrook).
2025 — The Oklahoma City Thunder can swap first-rounders, provided the Rockets’ selection is 11-30 (Russell Westbrook).
2025 — The Rockets can swap first-rounders with the Brooklyn Nets (James Harden). May be the Oklahoma City Thunder or Rockets first swapped to Brooklyn (Russell Westbrook).
2026 — Owed a first-rounder from the Brooklyn Nets (James Harden).
2026 — Owe a first-rounder (top-four protected, otherwise converts to a 2026 second-rounder and a payment of $1 million) to the Oklahoma City Thunder (Russell Westbrook).
2027 — Can swap first-rounders with the Brooklyn Nets (James Harden).
2027 — Owe a second-rounder to the Detroit Pistons (Christian Wood).

Cash Paid ($5,617,000 max): $4.6 million to the Detroit Pistons (Christian Wood); TBD to the Sacramento Kings (KJ Martin)

Cash Received ($5,617,000 max): $0

Deadlines

2/6/21 — No-trade restriction lifts on Queen, Gerald Green, DeMarcus Cousins, Jae’Sean Tate, Sterling Brown and Christian Wood.
2/23/21 — Ten-day contracts can be signed.
2/24/21 — Gerald Green and DeMarcus Cousins’ $2,564,753 guarantee for 2020-21.
2/24/21 — Chris Clemons’ $1,517,981 guarantees for 2020-21.
2/24/21 — Jae’Sean Tate’s $1,445,697 guarantees for 2020-21.
3/7/21 — No-aggregation restriction lifts on Victor Oladipo, Rodions Kurucs and Dante Exum.
3/7/21 — All two-way contracts guarantee for 2020-21.
3/19/21 — Clint Capela, Nene and Gerald Green trade exceptions expire.
3/22/21 — Jordan Bell trade exception expires.
3/25/21 — Trade deadline.
6/30/21 — Jerian Grant’s $2,130,023 guarantees for 2021-22.
7/31/21 — Team options on Chris Clemons and Rodions Kurucs.
7/31/21 — KJ Martin’s $1,517,981 guarantees for the 2021-22 season (two days before the start of the 2021-22 moratorium).
8/1/21 — Final Day of 2020-21 season.
8/2/21 — Start of 2021-22 season and moratorium.
8/6/21 — Final day of 2021-22 moratorium.
8/12/21 — Austin Rivers trade exceptions expires (exact date TBD).
8/13/21 — Bruno Caboclo’s $2,283,034 guarantees for 2021-22.
9/1/21 — Russell Westbrook trade exceptions expires (exact date TBD).
11/22/21 — James Harden trade exception expires (exact date TBD).
1/7/22 — Chris Clemons’ $1,782,621 guarantees for 2021-22.
1/7/22 — Jae’Sean Tate’s $1,517,981 guarantees for 2021-22.
6/29/22 — Player option on John Wall.
6/29/22 — Team option on Jae’Sean Tate.
6/29/22 — KJ Martin’s $1,782,621 guarantees for 2022-23 (two days before the start of the 2022-23 moratorium).
1/7/23 — Jae’Sean Tate’s $1,782,621 guarantees for 2021-22.
6/28/23 — Eric Gordon’s $20,917,02 guarantees for 2023-24*.
6/29/23 — Qualifying offer deadline for Jae’Sean Tate.
6/29/23 — Team option on KJ Martin.
6/29/23 — KJ Martin’s $1,930,681 guarantees for 2023-24
TBD — David Nwaba’s guarantee date.

Teams and players can renegotiate guarantee dates but no later than 2/24/21.

* Eric Gordon’s 2023-24 salary guarantees in full if he’s named an NBA All-Star before the 2023-24 season, or the team wins a championship before the 2023-24 season, provided Gordon plays in at least 500 regular season minutes or in 750 minutes combined over the regular and postseason.

Transactions

10/15/20 — Agreed to part ways with general manager Daryl Morey.
10/15/20 — Promoted Rafael Stone to general manager.
10/30/20 — Hired coach Stephen Silas.
11/19/20 — Austin Rivers opted out of his contract.
11/19/20 — Opted David Nwaba into the final year of his contract.
11/19/20 — Declined to give Michael Frazier and William Howard qualifying offers.
11/20/20 — Ben McLemore’s $2,283,034 guaranteed for 2020-21.
11/21/20 — Claimed Kenny Wooten (two-way) off waivers (from the New York Knicks).
11/22/20 — Traded Robert Covington to the Portland Trail Blazers for Trevor Ariza, the rights to Isaiah Stewart (2020-16th) and a first-rounder (lottery protected through 2027, otherwise converts to a 2027 second-rounder).
11/24/20 — Traded Trevor Ariza, the rights to Isaiah Stewart (2020-16th), a 2027 second-rounder and $4.6 million to the Detroit Pistons for Christian Wood (via sign-and-trade), a first-rounder (top-16 protected through 2022, top-18 protected in through 2024, top-13 protected in 2025, top-11 protected in 2026 and top-9 protected in 2027, otherwise converts to a 2027 second-rounder and a Los Angeles Lakers 2021 second-rounder. Wood signed a three-year $41 million contract.
11/25/20 — Traded a Los Angeles Lakers 2021 first-rounder and cash (TBD) to the Sacramento Kings for the rights to KJ Martin (2020-52nd).
11/25/20 — Signed Sterling Brown to a $1,678,854 minimum contract.
11/25/20 — Re-signed Bruno Caboclo to a partially-guaranteed two-year $4,311,628 minimum contract ($50,000 guaranteed).
11/25/20 — Signed Jae’Sean Tate to a partially-guaranteed three-year $4,746,299 contract ($50,000 guaranteed), team option on final season.
11/25/20 — Signed Mason Jones to a two-way contract ($50,000 guaranteed).
11/27/20 — Traded Austin Rivers (via sign-and-trade), the rights to Sergio Llull (2009-34th), the rights to Tadija Dragicevic (2008-53rd) and the rights to Axel Hervelle (2005-52nd) to the New York Knicks for the rights to Yusuf Sanon (2018-44th).
12/1/20 — Signed KJ Martin (2020-52nd) to a partially-guaranteed four-year $6,129,593 contract, team option on the final season.
12/1/20 — Signed DeMarcus Cousins to a non-guaranteed $2,564,753 minimum summer contract (Exhibit 9).
12/1/20 — Signed Gerald Green to a non-guaranteed $2,564,753 minimum summer contract (Exhibit 9).
12/1/20 — Signed Trevelin Queen to a non-guaranteed $898,31 minimum summer contract (Exhibit 9 and 10).
12/1/20 — Signed Brodric Thomas to a non-guaranteed $898,31 minimum summer contract (Exhibit 9 and 10).
12/1/20 — Signed Jerian Grant to a partially-guaranteed $4,012,890 minimum contract.
12/2/20 — Traded Russell Westbrook to the Washington Wizards for John Wall and a protected 2023 first-rounder (lottery protected in 2023, top-12 in 2024, top-10 in 2025, top-8 in 2026, otherwise converts to 2026 and 2027 second-rounders).
12/16/20 — Waived Jerian Grant, Kenny Wooten and Trevelin Queen.
12/17/20 — Signed Trey Mourning to a non-guaranteed $898,310 minimum summer contract (Exhibits 9 and 10).
12/17/20 — Signed William McDowell-White to a two-way contract.
12/19/20 — Signed Josh Reaves to a non-guaranteed $1,445,697 minimum summer contract (Exhibits 9 and 10).
12/19/20 — Waived Trey Mourning, William McDowell-White, Josh Reaves and Gerald Green.
12/19/20 — Converted Brodric Thomas to a two-way contract ($50,000 guaranteed).
12/22/20 — Jae’Sean Tate’s salary guaranteed at $500,000.
1/14/21 — Waived Bruno Caboclo.
1/14/21 — Traded James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets for Caris LeVert, Rodions Kurucs (via the Nene trade exception), first-rounders in 2022, 2024 and 2026, and pick swaps in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027, and Dante Exum from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
1/15/21 — Caris LeVert failed his physical, rolling back the 1/14/21 trade.
1/16/21 — Traded James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets and a 2023 second-round pick (from the Miami HEAT, Dallas Mavericks or Rockets) to the Indiana Pacers for Rodions Kurucs (via the Nene trade exception), first-rounders in 2022, 2024 and 2026, and pick swaps in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027, and Victor Oladipo from the Pacers, and Dante Exum from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

No-Trade: None

Trade Kickers

None

Note: Players can waive their trade bonuses.

Expired 10-Day Contracts: None

Qualifying Offers

None

Free Agents (with Cap Holds)

Early Bird: None
Non-Bird: Tyson Chandler ($1,620,564), Thabo Sefolosha ($1,620,564), DeMarre Carroll ($1,620,564), Michael Frazier (two-way), William Howard (two-way), Kenneth Faried*** ($1,620,564), Trevon Duval*** ($1,445,697), Tarik Black*** ($3,948,000)

*** Cannot be used in a sign and trade because they were not active players in the NBA last season.

Unsigned Draft Picks