Rockets waive Gerald Green; finalize roster to begin season

Red Nation is frowning today with the news that fan favorite Gerald Green has been waived by the Rockets.

The team finalized its post-camp roster Saturday, and Green was unfortunately on the outside looking in.

The team also waived recent signees William McDowell-White and Trey Mourning, son of NBA great Alonzo Mourning. The two were signed in recent days likely so that the team would be able to retain their G-League rights. McDowell-White played for Rio Grande Valley last season and Mourning played for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Miami Heat affiliate.

Given the depth at the wing position and Chris Clemons’s contract guaranteeing itself following a ruptured Achilles injury suffered in Tuesday’s preseason game, Green’s chances to make the roster diminished.

Barring any trades, here’s the Rockets roster going into the season:

Point Guards: John Wall, Chris Clemons (out for season), Mason Jones (Two-Way)

Shooting Guards: James Harden, Eric Gordon, Sterling Brown, Brodric Thomas (Two-Way)

Small Forwards: Danuel House Jr., Ben McLemore, David Nwaba, KJ Martin

Power Forwards: P.J. Tucker, Bruno Caboclo, Jae’Sean Tate

Centers: Christian Wood, DeMarcus Cousins

The Rockets can add one more player to the roster, but it’s common for the Rockets to vacate an open roster spot early in the season to prepare for the buyout market or a potential trade that will allow them to keep one more player than they give away.

If the Rockets look towards free agency or the trade market, a backup point guard could be what they desire most as the only point guard off the bench now is undrafted two-way player Mason Jones.

It’s also possible that the Rockets use this open roster spot to bring back Gerald Green later in the season. Guaranteeing Green’s contract now would have hard-capped the franchise, which doesn’t make much financial sense when keeping one small player around.

It just sucks when that player is Green, who could literally not be any more perfect in the eyes of Rockets fans. But that’s the business.