Rockets Rumors: Clark, Canaan, Carmelo

Gary Clark Jr. has become a fixture in the Rockets‘ rotation, putting the team under some pressure to renegotiate his contract in the coming weeks. As Kelly Iko of The Athletic observes, Clark is expected to reach the 45-day NBA limit on his two-way deal by mid-December or so. At that point, he’ll have to either be promoted to the 15-man roster or sent to the G League.

While nothing is set in stone yet, the Rockets want Clark on their roster and have had “positive” initial discussions with his camp about a new deal, a source tells Iko. Houston could unilaterally convert his two-way contract to a standard deal, but that would result in a basic one-year, minimum-salary deal. If Houston wants to lock up Clark for more than just one year, both sides would have to agree to the terms.

Here’s more from Iko on the Rockets:

• There was some speculation that Houston might be interested in veteran point guard Isaiah Canaan, who was waived last week by the Suns. However, a source tells Iko that Canaan’s name didn’t move the needle for the Rockets, and they didn’t have serious interest in him.
• The Rockets continue to work with Carmelo Anthony and his representatives to determine whether it makes sense to trade or release him, according to Iko. Anthony won’t become trade-eligible until December 15, but could be waived anytime before or after that date.
• While the Rockets were hit hard by injuries in recent weeks, the front office has preached “calculated patience,” writes Iko. The team understood that most of those injuries wouldn’t be long-term, and didn’t want to rush into the trade market to find immediate help. “Having five guys hurt at once is unusual,” one team source told Iko.