Rockets 2020 Player Recaps: Bruno Caboclo

Bruno Caboclo

Recap: He remains one of the most attractive prospects in the league today. Standing 6’9” with a 7’7” wingspan, Caboclo has the potential to blossom into one of the league’s best two-way players. The only problem, Caboclo has never received the proper amount of playing time to showcase his potential — a predicament the 24-year-old Brazilian native has been in since 2014.

He started receiving consistent minutes as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, but a trade to the Houston Rockets in February set Caboclo back in proving his worth to the rest of the league. There was some hope that he could play his way into the Rockets rotation during the NBA restart, but an extended quarantine period might have derailed his chances.

In total, Caboclo only played 50 minutes across eight games, scoring just 28 points. He will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and much like his playing time, there is uncertainty surrounding Caboclo’s return to Houston — let alone his future in the NBA.

2021 Outlook: It may be best for Caboclo and the Rockets to agree upon a two-way deal this offseason. Whoever Daryl Morey brings in as Houston’s next head coach, there is a good chance they will be looking to add size to the 12-man rotation. And without any trade assets or cap space, Caboclo will become their best alternative to start.

It also does not hurt that Caboclo could possibly be in the best situation of his career. They may not get enough credit, but the Rockets have one of the best developmental staffs in the league. Over the past few seasons, the Rockets developed Gary Clark Jr. and Isaiah Hartenstein into solid role players and Clint Capela into a borderline All-Star.

Caboclo has been in the Rockets system since 2018 as a member of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Hopefully, next season, Caboclo will finally have the opportunity to transfer his G-League dominances (16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks) over to the big leagues.