Ex-Cougar Jarreau signs 10-day deal
The Rockets on Tuesday signed former University of Houston guard DeJon Jarreau to a 10-day hardship exception contract, a temporary replacement player allowance triggered because the team has four players unavailable in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
The Rockets were shorthanded for Tuesday’s game against the Lakers with guard D.J. Augustin, forward Garrison Mathews, forward K.J. Martin and forward Jae’Sean Tate all in health and safety protocols.
In response to a leaguewide uptick in coronavirus cases, the NBA is allowing teams to temporarily exceed the 15-man roster limit when it has at least four players who are sick or injured for more than two weeks. Many teams including the Lakers have utilized the exception, some multiple times, but Jarreau represents the Rockets’ first replacement player.
Rockets coach Stephen Silas said Jaurrea joined the team for its pregame walkthrough Tuesday and watched film with the coaching staff but otherwise admitted he did not get much time to familiarize himself with his new player.
“We’ll get him in here and see what he can do. This is a great place for guys like that,” Silas said. “We’ve had success with guys who kind of come in and work hard and kind of learn how we do things. You see with Armoni (Brooks) and Garrison (Mathews) and Anthony Lamb from last year, there are guys that have opportunities. Because if there’s one thing we do, we make players better here.”
Jarreau went undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft and after a summer league stint with the Miami Heat, signed a two-way deal with the Indiana Pacers. He played in one game for the Pacers and 10 games for their G-League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, but was waived Dec. 15.
On the Rockets, Jarreau reunites with former college teammate Brooks, a second-year guard who has appeared in 29 games with eight starts for the Rockets this season.
Jarreau averaged 9.7 points per game, 4.5 assists per game and 3.9 rebounds per game for the Mad Ants while shooting 40.2 percent from the field and 38.1 percent on 3-pointers.
If one of the Rockets’ four unavailable players returns to action, the team will have to immediately comply with the 15-man roster maximum.