The Rockets will sign free agent guard Armoni Brooks to a two-way contract, tweets Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Houston will make room by waiving center Justin Patton, who is currently on a two-way deal, sources tell Iko (Twitter link).
Brooks, 22, played for the Rockets’ G League affiliate this season, averaging 16.8 PPG in 15 games in the Orlando bubble. He also played in the G League last season after going undrafted out of the University of Houston. There was an announcement last week that Brooks was headed to France to join Orléans Loiret Basket, but those plans fell through.
“It’s just exciting,” Brooks told Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston. “It’s a dream come true to finally be able to play in the NBA and being able to do it in the city that I went to college in is just great.” (Twitter link)
Patton, 23, appeared in 13 games with the Rockets after signing in mid-February. He averaged 5.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game, but fell out of the rotation when Christian Wood returned from an ankle injury. Houston was the fourth team in four years for Patton, who has struggled through injuries since being selected with the 16th pick in the 2017 draft.
The moves continue a roster overhaul for the rebuilding Rockets, who are also planning to waive Ben McLemore. The Rockets don’t have any immediate plans to replace McLemore, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.
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