Player salaries for Houston Rockets after 2022 NBA draft, free agency
With each passing week, the Rockets are making it clear that salary cap flexibility in the 2023 offseason is a priority. Based on the team’s current books, the Rockets could theoretically have room to sign or trade for two maximum salaried players in 2023 free agency.
The Rockets traded veteran center Christian Wood without accepting any long-term money in the deal, and they opted to buy out veteran guard John Wall — who was entering the final year of his contract — rather than accept a trade that could have multi-year salaries in the deal. Houston general manager Rafael Stone appears similarly reluctant to accept longer-term salaries in trade talks involving Eric Gordon.
With that in mind, here’s where the roster stands, financially, after the 2022 NBA draft and the initial wave of free agency. Salaries are sorted by each player’s 2022-23 figure, in descending order.
(Note: This roster is larger than it will be in the regular season, since teams can roster up to 20 players in the offseason — as opposed to the usual limit of 15 standard contracts and two two-way contracts during the season. Thus, more roster moves are a certainty by mid-October.)
Keith's cap room figure for the #Rockets looks pretty accurate, based on (1) HOU waiving everyone but the FRPs (2021-23), Tate & KPJ's cap hold; and (2) its 2023 picks being in the 4-5 & 24-28 ranges. Figure is impacted a little if you want to keep Martin, Garry Bird or Nix. https://t.co/BWUgt9jwSJ
— David Weiner (@BimaThug) July 22, 2022
Eric Gordon
Photo by John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
Player: Eric Gordon, 6-foot-4 guard
Age as of July 31, 2022: 33 years old
2022-23 salary: $19.6 million
Future earnings: $20.9 million for 2023-24 (team option)
Jalen Green
AP Photo/Michael Wyke
Player: Jalen Green, 6-foot-6 guard
Age as of July 31, 2022: 20 years old
2022-23 salary: $9.4 million
Future earnings: $9.9 million for 2023-24; $12.5 million for 2024-25 (both team options)
Jabari Smith Jr.
AP Photo/John Locher
Player: Jabari Smith Jr., 6-foot-10 forward
Age as of July 31, 2022: 19 years old
2022-23 salary: $8.9 million
Future earnings: $9.3 million for 2023-24; $9.8 million for 2024-25; $12.4 million for 2025-26 (final two seasons are team options)
Jae’Sean Tate
Photo by Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports
Player: Jae’Sean Tate, 6-foot-4 forward
Age as of July 31, 2022: 26 years old
2022-23 salary: $7.1 million
Future earnings: $6.5 million for 2023-24; $7.1 million for 2024-25 (final season is a team option)
David Nwaba
Photo by David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Player: David Nwaba, 6-foot-5 wing
Age as of July 1, 2022: 31 years old
2022-23 salary: $5.0 million
Future earnings: $5.4 million for 2023-24 (team option)
Boban Marjanovic
Photo by Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
Player: Boban Marjanovic, 7-foot-3 center
Age as of July 31, 2022: 33 years old
2022-23 salary: $3.5 million
Future earnings: No additional contract years
Trey Burke
Photo by Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Player: Trey Burke, 6-foot-0 guard
Age as of July 31, 2022: 29 years old
2022-23 salary: $3.4 million
Future earnings: No additional contract years
Alperen Sengun
Photo by Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports
Player: Alperen Sengun, 6-foot-10 big
Age as of Feb. 15, 2022: 20 years old
2022-23 salary: $3.4 million
Future earnings: $3.5 million for 2023-24; $5.4 million for 2024-25 (both team options)
Tari Eason
AP Photo/John Locher
Player: Tari Eason, 6-foot-8 forward
Age as of July 31, 2022: 21 years old
2022-23 salary: $3.4 million
Future earnings: $3.5 million for 2023-24; $3.7 million for 2024-25; $5.6 million for 2025-26 (final two seasons are team options)
Kevin Porter Jr.
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Player: Kevin Porter Jr., 6-foot-4 guard
Age as of July 31, 2022: 22 years old
2022-23 salary: $3.2 million
Future earnings: $4.8 million qualifying offer for 2023-24, which would make him a restricted free agent in 2023
Sterling Brown
Photo by Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Player: Sterling Brown, 6-foot-5 guard
Age as of July 31, 2022: 27 years old
2022-23 salary: $3.0 million
Future earnings: No additional contract years
Usman Garuba
Photo by Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Player: Usman Garuba, 6-foot-8 forward
Age as of July 31, 2022: 20 years old
2022-23 salary: $2.5 million
Future earnings: $2.6 million for 2023-24; $4.4 million for 2024-25 (final two seasons are team options)
Josh Christopher
AP Photo/Matt York
Player: Josh Christopher, 6-foot-5 guard
Age as of July 31, 2022: 20 years old
2022-23 salary: $2.4 million
Future earnings: $2.5 million for 2023-24; $4.3 million for 2024-25 (final two seasons are team options)
TyTy Washington
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Player: TyTy Washington, 6-foot-3 guard
Age as of July 31, 2022: 20 years old
2022-23 salary: $2.2 million
Future earnings: $2.3 million for 2023-24; $2.4 million for 2024-25; $4.4 million for 2025-26 (final two seasons are team options)
Marquese Chriss
Photo by Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Player: Marquese Chriss, 6-foot-10 big
Age as of July 31, 2022: 25 years old
2022-23 salary: $2.2 million
Future earnings: No additional contract years
Garrison Mathews
Photo by John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
Player: Garrison Mathews, 6-foot-5 wing
Age as of July 31, 2022: 25 years old
2022-23 salary: $2.0 million
Future earnings: $2.0 million for 2023-24, $2.2 million for 2024-25 (future seasons are non-guaranteed or team options)
KJ Martin
AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith
Player: KJ Martin, 6-foot-6 forward
Age as of July 31, 2022: 21 years old
2022-23 salary: $1.8 million
Future earnings: $1.9 million for 2023-24
Daishen Nix
Photo by Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Player: Daishen Nix, 6-foot-4 guard
Age as of July 31, 2022: 20 years old
2022-23 salary: $1.6 million
Future earnings: $1.8 million for 2023-24, $2.0 million for 2024-25 (final two seasons are team options)
Trevor Hudgins (two-way contract with Rockets, G League)
Photo by Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Player: Trevor Hudgins, 6-foot-0 guard
Age as of July 31, 2022: 23 years old
2022-23 salary: $508,891 (two-way contract)
Future earnings: $1.8 million qualifying offer for 2023-24, which would make him a restricted free agent in 2023
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