The Rockets have placed guard Dante Exum on waivers in order to set their roster for the regular season, the team announced today in a press release.
Exum signed a three-year deal with the Rockets last month that had a base value of $8.1MM and included another $8MM+ in likely and unlikely incentives. There were conflicting reports on Exum’s salary details, but Hoops Rumors can confirm that his $2.5MM base salary for the 2021/22 salary was non-guaranteed, so Houston won’t be on the hook for any dead money.
The fact that Exum’s deal was fully non-guaranteed made it a fairly straightforward decision to release him in advance of the regular season, since the Rockets have 15 other players with guaranteed salaries. The team also has both its two-way contract slots filled.
Exum, the fifth overall pick in the 2014 draft, finished last season with Houston after coming over in the four-team James Harden trade, but he didn’t play at all during his time with the Rockets. The former Jazz and Cavs guard will clear waivers and become an unrestricted free agent on Monday.
That made their decision a lot easier, I thought for sure that $2.5M was guaranteed.
Funny that he would agree to non-guaranteed money and sign with the Rockets like that. I guess that shows his lack of suitors?
Wonder if he gets picked up by a team needing a guy like him but I doubt it with all the teams with “15 guys on guaranteed deals.”
Maybe I’m missing something but I’m not sure I get why Houston would have offered the 3 years if it was all non-guaranteed? Like, why just sign him on a 1 year, if that was the case
It’s a pity… during the brief stints in which Exum has been healthy, he looked quite good, but he’s probably done in the NBA.
Not necessarily, the guy can play D and is still young
Even with the $3.6M in dead money from Doumbouya they’re $9.5M below the tax.
Shows there are super young team. What’s going to happen couple years from now? Act like the Sterling Clippers and trade away young studs coming up on New Deals or do like every other team and go over that tax line and pay up?
It wasn’t just injuries with Exum. I don’t think he wants it enough. Maybe now with no checks. He’ll finally wake up. Definitely had the talent when drafted.
Yes very talented but he sure was raw.
I think it was the injuries. Exum was pretty aggressive & effective driving when healthy with Utah, who wanted a PG. CLE wanted more of a wing since he does not shoot 3s or pass that well. Avg 11 ppg per 36′ for both, 11-4-4. Very similar to Ben Simmons in position, style, aversion to the 3, age, appearance and hometown.
Simmons has to know the Exum story, kin or not. Get knocked off the PG spot, and the uses for him go down significantly.
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It is a huge risk to sign un-guaranteed contracts… it give teams a chance to give up on you if there’s a roster crunch. Houston did not even have much of one, yet Daniel House with two weak seasons stayed rostered with a small guarantee.
At least House stays on the court lol. If Wood, Exum, Gordon, theis, and any other player goes to the IR, that’s 1/4 of their roster if Exum stayed with the team. It’s a tricky situation for Houston who is going younger and trying to keep the best chance at a healthy roster. Like Wall, Exum has seen plenty of time on the injury list. Wood isn’t too far off either. It’s like Russian Roulette, just hope that when the trigger is pulled, the worst doesn’t happen. And with what the Rockets currently have, has a solid chance at top 10 pick in the upcoming draft. I love my Rockets, but the west is tough 10 teams deep who will be better than the Rockets. Portland, both LA teams, Golden State, Sacramento, Phoenix, OKC, Seattle, and Dallas should all be well above the Rockets and within the playoff hunt. Rockets should be in the bottom 5 of the west
There are so many good players getting cut. I would love to see NBA contimue to grow G league and give these players decent opportunity to make a living is US instead of abroad.