Reports: Houston Rockets Agree To Terms With Carlos Delfino

According to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle and Marc Berman of Fox 26 Houston, the Houston Rockets have agreed to terms with Carlos Delfino on a one year deal with a team option for the second year, bringing the roster count to 21.

Rockets have come to an agreement with guard Carlos Delfino on a one-year deal, with team option on 2nd season, per source.

— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) August 14, 2012

Delfino, a gold and bronze medalist with the Argentine Olympic team, has played in Milwaukee, Toronto, and Detroit since coming over to the NBA in 2004. Jump for some analysis on this deal!

This comes as little surprise to those following the club closely over the past month, as the Rockets' flirtations with Delfino have been well-documented, but it is a bit puzzling on a number of levels. With the moves the team has made over the past few months, the team seems headed for a youth movement, and this move adds depth to an already crowded roster. A few months ago, before the draft and the flurry of moves that followed, Morey said that if a player held back the Rockets' flexibility moving forward or cut into the playing time of promising young players, the Rockets would look to move him. This signing appears to go counter to that logic.

Yes, having veterans around to soak up minutes if the rookies are too exposed out there makes sense, but isn't that Gary Forbes role? Delfino may be the superior shooter and defender, but I struggle to see what else he does that Forbes can't.

The win in all of this is that the Rockets apparently agreed with Delfino on a one year deal with a team option for the second. When word first broke about the Rockets' interest in Delfino, the international papers reported that the Argentinian forward was seeking a one year deal with a player option on the second. Players with player options are nearly untradeable because the GM's acquiring the player know that they'll either lose the player at year's end or have him under contract on bad money.

For a player that doesn't seem likely to figure prominently in the Rockets' future, giving up that kind of flexibility made no sense. Now, as a potential trade asset and Kevin Martin fill-in if the Rockets eventually trade him, the deal makes a bit of sense. Maybe.

The fact, as is the case with all other Rockets moves, is that we have no idea what Daryl Morey has brewing behind the scenes. Perhaps this move is simply how it appears on the surface, a value signing to give the Rockets insurance on the wings, but perhaps there is more that we don't know about.

Despite the fact that Delfino has yet to sign his contract to join the Rockets, it's evident that he is not long for Houston. If the Rockets can get an asset for him throughout the year, there is no doubt that they will pounce on the opportunity. In the end, it's a no-risk move that the Rockets had the money to make. Even if he falls on his face, the Rockets can cut bait quickly and dispose of Delfino without a second thought.