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Unrestricted free agent Gerald Green could be set to return to the Houston Rockets next season, according to The Athletic’s Alykhan Bijani.
A lot happening with the #Rockets as we head into the start of free agency, including reshaping their bench and rotation. NBA sources indicate that there is a good possibility that Gerald Green will return to Houston next season.
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) June 30, 2019
Green is coming off his one-year, $2.4 million contract that he signed to remain with Houston after being added in the middle of the 2017-2018 season and becoming a vital rotation player.
Last season wasn’t a huge drop-off for Green in terms of numbers, but his effectiveness wasn’t as evident as the season before. Green’s shooting from deep dropped from 37% to 35.4%, and his scoring went down 12.1 points per game to to 9.2. The Rockets also looked to use him less in the playoffs, despite having been a key role player in the previous postseason. Green’s playoff minutes dropped from 16 a game to 8.8; his points went from 6.3 a game to 3.5; and his three-point shooting went from 37.5% to 34.5%.
Still, the move to be Green back is a viable one due to the simple fact that Houston is out of rotational pieces.
With Nene off the books, Rockets have no bench players under contract from their post-season rotation. https://t.co/UvrzmUo0IY
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) June 29, 2019
Green isn’t exactly washed-up either. At only 33 years old, 34 next January, Green is in great shape, still has plenty of bounce, and showed that he’s still a flamethrower when he gets hot.
There’s also a fun conspiracy theory among Rockets fans that Houston is keeping Green on the roster as a selling point to lock down his cousin and marksman free agent, Danny Green. If that is indeed the move, then there’s plenty of upside to it.
Who knows what is to come this free agency?