The Rockets have officially waived wing Khyri Thomas, the team announced today in a press release.
The move was necessary in order to make room on Houston’s 20-man preseason roster for Sekou Doumbouya, whom the club agreed to acquire from the Nets. Even though the Rockets intend to waive Doumbouya, they needed an open roster spot to complete the trade, which is now official, according to press releases from both the Rockets and Nets.
Thomas, 25, was the 38th overall pick in the 2018 draft. He appeared in 34 games for Detroit in his first two NBA seasons, but saw limited action, averaging just 2.3 PPG and 1.0 RPG in 10.5 MPG.
After being traded to Atlanta and waived during the 2020 offseason, Thomas caught on with the Rockets near the end of the 2020/21 season, playing well in five games with the team (16.4 PPG, 5.0 APG, and 3.6 RPG in 30.6 MPG). Houston signed him to a multiyear contract, but it wasn’t guaranteed for 2021/22, so the team is able to waive him without taking on dead money.
Thomas will clear waivers on Thursday, assuming he goes unclaimed. Meanwhile, once they waive Doumbouya, the Rockets will have an open spot on their 20-man roster. The Nets will now be able to complete their trade with Indiana, acquiring Edmond Sumner using their newly-created trade exception from the Doumbouya deal.
Once the carousel of moves completes, I believe the Nets could sign Sekou Doumbouya to their two-way slot after he clears waivers. That is an exception to the “no reacquisitions” rule. He still gets paid and he just got acquainted with the Nets system in preseason.
My read of the CBA is that two-way contracts AREN’T exceptions to that reacquisitions rule, but it’s not 100% clear in the text, and I can’t think off-hand of any real-life examples in recent years. Have you read elsewhere that two-way signings are excepted?
There are a few teams that should consider Thomas, or even Doumboya for looks. Thomas as a defender at the guard spots, and Doumboya still has potential at the 4/5, with teams that need help at that spot. Maybe not necessarily for this year with Doumboya, but as a development guy towards next year. There are teams that could also still use someone with his skillset at that position…for Brooklyn and Houston, they already have multiple guys there
I think the kid would work good for the Bucks. Let him learn get better, then be ready when we start getting old quick in a couple years.