Paul trade creates holes on roster to fill
Summer job could lead to fall employment
In the hours after the NBA draft had ended without his name mentioned from the stage, Cameron Oliver could not have known the ways the Rockets’ roster would soon change. And they certainly weren’t tipping their hand to an undrafted free agent they hoped to sign.
Oliver, however, has noticed the changes since that night.
To a rookie — and the rest of the Rockets’ summer squad that filled the Toyota Center practice court this week — the deal that brought Chris Paul to Houston not only dramatically bolstered the Rockets’ backcourt, it also offered an opportunity to win a place on the roster next fall.
“It’s fine to be here,” Oliver said, expressing the sentiment he likely shared with many on the summer roster. “I think I’m in a better position than I was.”
To land Paul, the Rockets had to move three of the young players — Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell and Kyle Wiltjer — that had been a part of their plans. Dekker and Harrell had spent time in the Rockets’ rotation last season. Along with those left behind (Isaiah Taylor and Chinanu Onuaku), the Rockets who were sent to the Los Angeles Clippers with veteran guards Pat Beverley and Lou Williams represented the youthful depth the Rockets had hoped to develop.
‘Potential depth’
Their departure thinned the Rockets’ roster significantly. But it also might bring a chance for several players to play in Las Vegas, beginning Friday against the Denver Nuggets, to work their way into the back end of the Rockets’ roster.
“Obviously, a lot of our depth went out in that Chris Paul trade,” general manager Daryl Morey said. “These guys are potential depth for us this year.”
The Rockets’ most conspicuous remaining void on the roster would be in Harrell’s role as the fill-in center when Nene sat out in back-to-backs or when he or Clint Capela were out with injuries. The summer league could provide the next bit of evidence to see if Onuaku, the Rockets’ 2016 second-round pick who spent most of the season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, is ready for that role.
It also could be an important next step in the growth of Zhou Qi or Taylor, a guard signed off the Vipers’ roster last season. But even beyond the players the Rockets drafted or brought back from last season, several prospects could become the next projects, with July a chance to audition for the roles.
“Zhou Qi, Cam Oliver, Shawn Long, (Tim) Quarterman, there’s a lot of guys we’re evaluating,” Morey said. “(Jarrod) Uthoff. A lot of guys here could make the team and play minutes for us. (L.J.) Peak. Erik McCree. Troy Williams. Isaiah Taylor, George (de Paula) and Ray McCallum. We have a lot of guys to look at.”
Oliver is a strong and athletic 6-8 forward with shooting range who fits with the Rockets’ style. Uthoff and Long, at 6-10 and 6-9 respectively, have shown pick-and-pop potential. Peak and McCree are rookies with defensive potential similar to Williams’. Taylor, de Paula and McCallum could be considered at point guard.
The games in Las Vegas will supply only part of the information collected this month.
Evaluating all factors
Just as Dekker struggled in the summer league games last season but turned in a strong training camp, players vying for similar roles could show potential in a variety of ways. But there is a sense the Rockets will be watching everything, hoping to find reasons to take another look in the fall.
“It’s less about how they perform in games and more about the overall picture with practice, games, work ethic as we evaluate,” Morey said. “I think one mistake teams make is overreacting to a couple summer league games. You learn how quickly they pick things up. How they
work specifically in your offense and defense. It’s the whole picture.”
Part of that picture includes an understanding that potential roster spots for a few young prospects opened on the day the Rockets sent a minivan of players to Los Angeles for Paul.
That can add up to an important summer league for the Rockets, and an opportunity for the summer players.
“Players are smart,” said Rockets assistant Roy Rogers, one of the team’s summer league coaches. “Agents are smart. They look at our roster. They put two and two together.”
Much more than on draft night, they hope that adds up to a chance to stick.
jonathan.feigen@chron.com twitter.com/jonathan_feigen