Rockets make one signing and one cut! Former Bucks player joins Houston, 28-year-old Harris to be waived to free up a roster spot

On December 3rd, Beijing time, NBA reporter Jake Fischer revealed that the Rockets intend to sign free agent forward Tyler Smith to a two-way deal, and to make room for him, the team will release guard Kevin Harris.

The 21-year-old Smith was the 33rd overall pick in the 2024 draft and spent his rookie season with the Bucks. However, his playing time in Milwaukee was very limited, appearing in 23 NBA games for a total of only 122 minutes.

Smith saw more consistent minutes in the G League, playing 25 games for the Wisconsin Herd (the Bucks’ G League affiliate), averaging 25.1 minutes per game. Yet, his stats were modest, with averages of 10.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists, shooting 41.5% from the field, 32.7% from three, and 82.4% from the free-throw line.

Due to roster constraints with the Bucks, Smith was waived in October and entered the G League draft, where he was selected second overall by the Osceola Magic. The 2.06-meter forward was then traded to the Capital City Go-Go, Washington’s G League team. This fall, he played 8 games for them, averaging 10.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, with shooting percentages of 37.8%/24.3%/84.6%.

Although Smith’s G League performance has been underwhelming, he still holds enough value to attract the Rockets, who currently stand at 13-5 near the top of the league. Rather than securing steady NBA minutes with Houston, Smith is more likely to remain in the G League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Houston’s affiliate). Notably, he can still appear in up to 38 NBA games for the Rockets during the remainder of this season.

The 28-year-old Harris has yet to play a game for the Rockets this season. As a G League veteran, he appeared in 34 NBA games for the Orlando Magic on two-way contracts between 2022 and 2024.