Rockets Send JD Davison to Rio Grande Vipers

In sports, the preseason is oftentimes a time period in which fans fall in love with unheralded players. Especially when they're undrafted.

Or were drafted high, fell out of the league and are trying to make a comeback. 

Much like the Summer League. 

In fact, a lot of the time, the same players play in both the Summer League and the preseason. 

The Houston Rockets have nabbed several along the way.

Remember Chris Clemons? The diminutive guard who had dazzling scoring displays in the Summer League, yet didn't receive playing time under former Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni in the regular season.

Those players become fan favorites. Everyone loves a good underdog story.

It happens all the time.

This past summer, the Rockets found themselves in need of a point guard, following the sudden injury to Fred VanVleet -- Houston's vocal leader and floor general.

The 2019 NBA champion suffered a torn ACL, leaving the Rockets without a clear-cut solution of how to replace him, with limited resources.

Reed Sheppard was the only other pure point guard on the roster. Make no mistake, he's been lighting it up of late. 

Dude has been absolutely playing out of his mind. 

But that wasn't exactly known during the summer. And plus, Houston has been using him in an off-ball role.

JD Davison looked like yet another diamond in the rough for the Rockets. Like perhaps another Clemons-type of find.

Houston signed him to a two-way deal this past offseason, and those moves don't generally generate much fanfare.

Or headlines.

Even with Davison having been a G-League MVP, with averages of 25.1 points, 7.6 assists and 5.3 rebounds.

In Houston's first preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks, Davison dropped a stat line of 17 points, four assists, 66.7 percent from the field and 71.4 percent from long-range. 

As if that isn't impressive enough, he only needed nine shots.

All told, Davison averaged 10.5 points, 3.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 1.25 steals, 48.4 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from three. Again, dude looked like someone who could potentially crack Ime Udoka’s rotation.

On Saturday, however, it became clear that wouldn't be happening. At least officially.

Houston assigned Davison to the Rio Grande Vipers - the Rockets' G-League affiliate.

All told, Davison played five games for Houston this season, averaging just under five minutes per night.