Spanish big man Usman Garuba has officially signed his rookie contract with the Rockets, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.
Garuba had been the last of this year’s 30 first-round picks who remained unsigned. The process was held up a little due to the fact that he was participating in the Tokyo Olympics and had to finalize a buyout agreement with Real Madrid, his team in Spain.
[RELATED: 2021 NBA Draft Pick Signings]
As a result of that team-friendly buyout, Garuba owes Real Madrid in excess of two million Euros, but will be able to pay it off in installments. He should more than make up that amount in the NBA based on the terms of his rookie deal. Assuming he signed for the standard 120% of the rookie scale, Garuba will earn $2.35MM as a rookie and $11.81MM over the course of four seasons.
Garuba, 19, had been a member of Real Madrid since 2017 and was a regular part of the team’s rotation in 2020/21. He was named the ACB Best Young Player and received the EuroLeague Rising Star award, then was one of four prospects selected by Houston in this first round of the 2021 draft.
The No. 23 overall pick, Garuba joins Jalen Green (No. 2), Alperen Sengun (No. 16), and Josh Christopher (No. 24) to make up the Rockets’ promising 2021 draft class.
Sweet!
Green is legit. Sengun is a solid big with a good future. Garuba is more raw. He’s got a good motor and plenty of room to improve. Rockets had a solid draft. Rockets don’t move forward till they move Wall and Wood. Should happen by TD. It’s best to go full rebuild at this point.
Christian Wood is 25 y/o, averaged 21 and 10 on 51% shooting, and is on only a $14m a year contract. He is a part of the rebuild and they would be making an incredible mistake by trading him away unless it is for a massive haul. But agreed they had a very solid draft.
The only person who needs to be moved anytime soon will be Eric Gordon.
The final season on his contract is more or less non-guaranteed, so either they will give him a buyout at the trade deadline (which would include 2022-23, the last guaranteed year on his deal), or try and trade him next summer with many younger options at the wing (specifically Christopher).
Both Wood and Wall are starters, and the former isn’t that much older than the 4 rookie draft picks. Plus he is on a 3-year contract that is fairly team friendly, also he can help develop both Sengun and Garuba (so will Theis on the defensive end). Next year Wall has a player option so they will decide then what his future with the team will be, if there is one.
Garuba looked great in his first start in the summer league tonight, except for his FT shooting. He had 8 points, 10 boards, 6 assists, 5 steals, and a block in 25 minutes.
This draft class for Houston featuring Green, Sengun, Garuba, and Christopher may end up being something really special someday. It could very well surpass what the Rockets did 50 years ago when they drafted Rudy T and Murphy back in 1970.