Rockets sign Bruno Fernando to Exhibit 10 contract

The Houston Rockets re-signed center Bruno Fernando today to an Exhibit 10 contract in order to fill out their training camp roster, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

The 23-year-old 6’9” Fernando played in 10 games for the Rockets last season, finishing with averages of 6.9 points, 4 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game on 70.7 percent shooting from the field across 9.4 minutes per contest. Those are actually some pretty ridiculous per-36s.

His best games came in a March 11 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in which he went for 16 points, 11 boards, and 2 blocks on perfect 8-for-8 shooting, and a March 30 loss to the Sacramento Kings in which he finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and a block on 6-for-8 shooting from the field.

He was originally a second round draft pick of the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019 and has also spent time with the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics, coming to Houston in the Daniel Theis deal last season.

An Exhibit 10 deal is a one-year non-guaranteed minimum contract that allows teams to convert the contract to a two-way deal before the start of the regular season. If a player on an Exhibit 10 is is waived and ends up with the team’s G-League affiliate, a $50,000 bonus kicks in if they report for at least 60 days. These deals allow a team to explore a player in the preseason to decide if they want to pursue something more, like a two-way deal or a long-term contract. Only teams with a G-League affiliate can pursue Exhibit 10 deals. Sorry, Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers.

Welcome back, Bruno Fernando!