Report: Despite injury, Victor Oladipo’s roster spot appears secure in Houston
As is the case for all NBA teams, the Houston Rockets need to trim their roster by Tuesday’s deadline for the 2023-24 regular season. Teams can carry up to 21 players during the offseason, training camp, and preseason, but that number falls to a maximum of 15 standard contracts and three two-way deals once the season begins.
The Rockets (training camp roster) have already begun that process, having waived Matthew Mayer and Nate Hinton in recent days. Both could soon become candidates for roles with Houston’s NBA G League affiliate club, the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers.
Even so, more cuts will need to be made by Tuesday. But despite his lack of availability, one player who won’t be cut is veteran guard Victor Oladipo, who was recently acquired in the Kevin Porter Jr. trade. Oladipo tore the patellar tendon in his left knee last April.
Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle:
Though Oladipo is out while trying to come back from a torn left patella tendon, the Rockets are expected to keep him on the roster either as a late-season addition or as a trade piece.
Oladipo, 31, can begin intensifying his workouts once he passes the six-month mark since the injury, which occurs this week. Known best for his defense, Oladipo averaged 10.7 points, 3.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 26.3 minutes per game with Miami last season.
For the Rockets, Oladipo’s value appears to be in large part due to his expiring $9.5-million salary. To general manager Rafael Stone, that could become very useful near the 2023-24 trade deadline next February, should Houston need to match salaries on a larger trade.
With Oladipo’s spot secure, the final roster decisions seem to involve picking three out of Jermaine Samuels Jr., Darius Days, Trevor Hudgins, and Nate Williams for the two-way spots, and choosing between veteran big man Boban Marjanovic and young prospect Jeremiah Robinson-Earl for the final spot among standard contracts.
