Houston Rockets Team Salary

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Sports Editor

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Quick: Over the cap and hard-capped by the Daniel Theis sign-and-trade.

Salary Cap: $112,414,000

Luxury Tax Threshold: $136,606,000

Hard Cap: $143,002,000

Projection for 2022-23 (cap $119 million): Up to $40.6 million in cap space, none with John Wall.

Roster Count: 13 guaranteed, two non-guaranteed, one two-way, three summer contracts

Depth Chart
PG: John Wall, Kevin Porter Jr, DJ Augustin
SG: Jalen Green, Eric Gordon, Josh Christopher, Daishen Nix (summer contract), Armoni Brooks (summer contract)
SF: KJ Martin, David Nwaba, Danuel House, Khyri Thomas
PF: Jae’Sean Tate, Usman Garuba, Matt Hurt (two-way), Tyler Bey (summer contract)
C: Christian Wood, Daniel Theis, Alperen Sengun

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

Exceptions

  • Trade Exception (James Harden, expiring 11/20/21) — $5,019,920
  • Trade Exception (Rodions Kurucs, expiring 2/5/22) — $1,780,152
  • Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception — $9,536,000
  • Bi-Annual Exception — $3,732,000

Non-Guaranteed Salaries — Next Cut-Down Date*

  • Khyri Thomas $1,762,796 — 1/7/22
  • Jae’Sean Tate $1,517,981 — 1/7/22

* Teams and players can agree to push back cut-down dates but not past January 7 each year.

Free Agents (with Cap Holds)

  • Full Bird: Dante Exum ($18,240,000), DJ Wilson ($13,644,840)
  • Non-Bird: Avery Bradley ($6,762,000), Anthony Lamb (two-way, RFA), Michael Frazier*** (two-way)

*** Cannot be included in a sign-and-trade

Qualifying Offers

  • Anthony Lamb (two-way with $50,000 guaranteed, issued)

Rookie-Scale Options

  • Kevin Porter Jr (fourth-year)

Waived Players: None

Traded Players: None

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

Two-Way Contracts: Matt Hurt

Note: Two-Way Contracts pay $462,629 for the full 2021-22 season, pro-rated based on in-season signing date.

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
  • Chris Wallace — position TBD
  • Matt Bullard — position TBD

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

  • 2022 — The higher two first-rounders from the Brooklyn Nets, Miami HEAT (15-30) and Rockets to Houston, the lowest to the HEAT. If Miami is 1-14, both the Nets and Rockets first-rounders, and the lower second-rounder from the Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers to Houston (James Harden, Victor Oladipo).
  • 2022 — Owe a second-rounder to the Cleveland Cavaliers (Alec Burks).
  • 2023 — Owed a first-rounder from the Milwaukee Bucks (PJ Tucker).
  • 2023 — The higher first-rounder from the Brooklyn Nets or Rockets (James Harden).
  • 2023 — Owe a second-rounder (31 or 32) to the Indiana Pacers, else the highest of the Rockets (33-60) and (the lower of the Dallas Mavericks and Miami HEAT) to the Boston Celtics, and the lowest of the Rockets (33-60), Dallas and Miami to the Pacers (Josh McRoberts, Delon Wright, Bruno Caboclo, Desmond Bane, James Johnson, James Harden, Kemba Walker).
  • 2024 — Owed a first-rounder from the Brooklyn Nets (James Harden).
  • 2024 — Owed second-rounder from the Golden State Warriors (Eric Paschall, Clint Capela) in 31-55 range.
  • 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 highest first-rounder from the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers and Rockets (11-30) swap to the Thunder. The Rockets can swap the resulting first (from the Thunder or Rockets) with the Brooklyn Nets. If the Rockets are 1-10, Houston can swap with the Nets (Paul George, Russell Westbrook, James Harden).
  • 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 — The higher first-rounder from the Brooklyn Nets and Rockets to Houston (James Harden).
  • 2027 — The three highest second-rounders from the Oklahoma City Thunder, Indiana Pacers, Miami HEAT and Rockets to the Thunder, the lowest to the Utah Jazz (Christian Wood, Hamidou Diallo, Derrick Favors).

Cash Paid ($5,785,000 max): $1.1 million to the Chicago Bulls (Daniel Theis) — $4,685,000 remaining

Cash Received ($5,785,000 max): $0

Deadlines   

  • 10/19/21 — First day of the 2021-22 regular season.
  • 10/31/21 — Team option on Kevin Porter Jr.
  • 11/20/21 — James Harden trade exception expires.
  • 12/15/21 — No-trade restrictions lift on Armoni Brooks, Daniel Theis, Tyler Bey and Daishen Nix.
  • 1/7/22 — Khyri Thomas’ $1,762,796 guarantees for 2021-22.
  • 1/7/22 — Jae’Sean Tate’s $1,517,981 guarantees for 2021-22.
  • 1/7/22 — Armoni Brooks and Tyler Bey’s $1,489,065 guarantee for 2021-22.
  • 1/7/22 — Daishen Nix’s $925,258 guarantees for 2021-22.
  • 1/15/22 — No-trade restriction lifts on David Nwaba.
  • 2/5/22 — Rodions Kurucs’ trade exception expires.
  • 2/11/22 — Victor Oladipo trade exception expires.
  • 4/10/22 — Final day of the 2021-22 regular season.
  • 6/23/22 — NBA Draft.
  • 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).
  • 6/29/22 — Qualifying offer deadlines for Armoni Brooks, Matt Hurt, Tyler Bey and Daishen Nix.
  • 7/1/22 — DJ Augustin’s $7,333,333 guarantees for 2022-23.
  • 7/1/22 — Start of the 2022-23 calendar year and moratorium.
  • 7/5/22 — Final day of the moratorium.
  • 8/1/22 — Khyri Thomas’ salary guarantees at $300,000.
  • Before the first day of 2022-23 season — Extension deadline for Kevin Porter Jr.
  • Before the first game of the 2022-23 season — Khyri Thomas’ $1,910,860 guarantees for 2022-23.
  • 10/31/22 — Team option on Jalen Green, Usman Garuba, Alperen Sengun and Josh Christopher.
  • 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 Kevin Porter Jr and Jae’Sean Tate
  • 6/29/23 — Team options on KJ Martin and Khyri Thomas.
  • 6/29/23 — KJ Martin’s $1,930,681 guarantees for 2023-24
  • 8/1/23 — Khyri Thomas’ salary guarantees at $339,946
  • Before the first day of 2023-24 season — Extension deadline for Kevin Porter Jr.
  • Before the first game of the 2023-24 season — Khyri Thomas’ $2,165,298 guarantees for 2023-24.
  • 6/29/23 — Qualifying offer deadline for Kevin Porter Jr.
  • 6/29/23 — Team option on David Nwaba.
  • 10/31/23 — Team options on Jalen Green, Usman Garuba, Alperen Sengun and Josh Christopher.
  • 6/29/24 — Team option on Daniel Theis.
  • Before the first day of 2024-25 season — Extension deadline for Jalen Green, Usman Garuba, Alperen Sengun and Josh Christopher.
  • 6/29/25 — Qualifying offer deadline for Jalen Green, Usman Garuba, Alperen Sengun and Josh Christopher.

Teams and players can renegotiate guarantee dates but no later than January 7 each year.

* 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

  • 6/22/21 — Received the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft Lottery.
  • 7/29/21 — Drafted Jalen Green (2021-2nd), Usman Garuba (2021-23rd) and Josh Christopher (2021-24th)
  • 7/30/21 — Traded a protected Detroit Pistons 2022 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) and a protected Washington Wizards 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) to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Alperen Sengun (2021-16th).
  • 7/31/21 — KJ Martin’s $1,517,981 guaranteed for the 2021-22 season.
  • 8/1/21 — Issued qualifying offers to Anthony Lamb and Armoni Brooks.
  • 8/1/21 — Opted Avery Bradley out of the final year of his contract.
  • 8/1/21 — Declined to issue a qualifying offer to DJ Wilson.
  • 8/5/21 — Signed Jalen Green (2021-2nd) to a $40,808,448 rookie-scale contract.
  • 8/6/21 — Signed Josh Christopher (2021-24th) to a $11,463,215 rookie-scale contract.
  • 8/6/21 — Signed Alperen Sengun (2021-16th) to a $15,550,974 rookie-scale contract.
  • 8/8/21 — Re-signed David Nwaba to a three-year $15,066,000 contract, via Early Bird Rights.
  • 8/9/21 — Traded cash $1.1 million to the Chicago Bulls for Daniel Theis, via sign-and-trade using the Victor Oladipo trade exception, to a four-year $35,605,512 contract via Early Bird Rights.
  • 8/11/21 — Austin Rivers trade exception ($2,174,318) expired.
  • 8/13/21 — Signed Matthew Hurt to a two-way contract (Exhibit 9).
  • 8/15/21 — Signed Usman Garuba (2021-23rd) to a $11,805,395 rookie-scale contract.
  • 8/24/21 — Signed Daishen Nix to a non-guaranteed $925,258 minimum summer contract (Exhibits 9 and 10).
  • 8/24/21 — Signed Tyler Bey to a non-guaranteed $1,489,065 minimum summer contract (Exhibits 9 and 10).
  • 8/27/21 — Re-signed Armoni Brooks to a non-guaranteed $1,489,065 minimum summer contract (Exhibits 9 and 10).
  • 8/31/21 — Russell Westbrook trade exception ($103,894) expired.

No-Trade: Armoni Brooks (One-Year Bird)

Trade Kickers

  • Daniel Theis — 15 percent

Note: Players can waive their trade bonuses.

Poison Pill

  • None

Expired 10-Day Contracts: None

Options

  • None

Rookie-Scale Extension Eligible

  • None

Unsigned Draft Picks

  • First-rounders: None
  • Second-rounders: Serhiy Lishchuk (2004-49th), Venson Hamilton (1999-50th)

Arena: Toyota Center

Team Stats

Explore more about the Houston Rockets Team Stats here.

Cap Holds

Salary and team data change quite often. If you notice a discrepancy, please notify Basketball Insiders Senior Writer Eric Pincus.

(Updated on 9/1/21)

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Alan is an expert gambling writer who works as one of the chief editors for Basketball Insiders. He has been covering online gambling and sports betting for over 8 years, having written for the likes of Sportlens, Compare.bet, The Sports Daily, 90min, and TopRatedCasinos.co.uk. His particular specialisms include US online casinos and gambling regulations, and soccer and basketball betting. Based in London, Alan holds an MA in English Literature and is a passionate supporter of Chelsea FC.