Rockets Sign Veteran Chuck Hayes

Get out some poster board to scrawl "CHUCKWAGON" on with magic marker.

The Houston Rockets have signed 10-year NBA veteran Chuck Hayes to fill out the 15 man roster.

It was rumored many teams, including the Rockets, were interested in bringing the Chuckwagon in as a coach. But the Rockets have signed him as a player. The team is currently without the services of Donatas Motiejunas and have little experience backing up Dwight Howard.

UPDATE -- The Rockets will take on the Miami Heat without Dwight Howard or Terrence Jones, expect Chuck Hayes to serve an immediate role.

The undersized forward/center with a free throw stroke resembling Charles Barkley's golf swing will bring a veteran presence to an out-of-sync Rockets team wounded after starting the season 0-2.

Hayes became a Rockets fan favorite for being a tough and gritty player who stands 6'6" but often times played like he was 7'3". He is a crafty veteran who played in 29 games for the Toronto Raptors last season averaging just under 2 points and 2 rebounds a game. A "week in the life of Chuck Hayes" from The National Post revealed the senior member of the Raptors was more of a veteran presence than an on-court contributor. Rockets fans should expect Hayes to serve the same role.

The Rockets and Hayes failed to come to agreement on a one-year contract over the summer. Hayes subsequently signed with the Clippers and was wavied after Luc Mbah a Moute won the team's last roster spot.

This signing is a homecoming for Hayes who has a home and family in Houston despite being a California native and former "Mr. Basketball" in the The Golden State.

Hayes will wear number 44, which he sported during his previous six season as a Houston Rocket.

What do you think of the signing? Will Hayes touch the court at all or be expected to serve a player/coach role to a team searching for some chemistry?