Rockets extend two-way qualifying offer to prospects

With free agency about to officially begin, the Houston Rockets had to make some key decisions regarding contracts. Jock Landale, Jae’Sean Tate and Jeff Green all had team options for the 2024-25 season.

Tate and Landale’s options have already been picked up, and Green’s option should be picked up as well, unsurprisingly.

Granted, none of the three players were difference-makers for the franchise last season, and they won’t be next season either, but they represent $23 million in salary cap space, which is extremely valuable.

Especially for a young Rockets team loaded with players on rookie contracts and with little salary to distribute via trade.

The Rockets also decided to extend a two-way qualifying offer to Jeenathan “Nate” Williams, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, while deciding not to extend offers to Nate Hinton and Jermaine Samuels Jr.

Williams shined collegiately at Buffalo, averaging 19.1 points and 45.1 percent from three-point range as a senior, and finished his four-year college career with averages of 12.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 46.7 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from three-point range.

Williams was originally drafted by the Utah Jazz as a rookie and was assigned to the Salt Lake City Stars, the franchise’s G-League affiliate. In 21 minutes of play, Williams averaged 8.7 points on 51.7 percent shooting and 46.9 percent from three-point range.

The Portland Trail Blazers finally called Williams up to the big team near the end of the 2022-23 season, and he averaged 10.6 points, three rebounds, two assists, 61.5 percent from the field, 37, 5% from three-point range and an astronomical 65.7% from true shooting in five games of play.

Williams was on the Rockets’ Summer League roster last summer but played sparingly, averaging three points, 2.8 rebounds and shooting 62.5 percent from the field in just 9.2 minutes of action. Last season, Williams was stuck on the end of the Rockets’ bench in 2023-24, though he did play 22 games for the franchise.

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