Rockets sign Budinger to four-year deal

Sean Deveney, Sporting News Draft night was a bit of a disappointment for swingman Chase Budinger, a first-round prospect who slipped into the second round, No. 44 overall to the Houston Rockets. But contract day has turned out pretty well. A source tells Sporting News that Budinger has agreed to a four-year deal that could be worth almost $3 million. The first two years of the contract are guaranteed, making the deal similar to those signed by first-rounders. Fellow second-rounder Jermaine Taylor, the No. 32 pick in the draft, will sign a similar deal with the Rockets, the source said. Budinger's agent, Kevin Bradbury, confirmed the deal to Sporting News but would not disclose terms. "It's a good deal for Chase, and it's a credit to the Rockets," Bradbury said. "They did not shortchange him. They've treated him like a valuable part of their future all along. They treated him like a first-rounder."