Houston Rockets fully guarantee veteran forward’s contract

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Houston Rockets will bring back veteran forward Jeff Green for the 2024-25 season. According to Scotto, the Rockets have fully guaranteed Green’s $9.6 million contract for next season.

The Houston Rockets have fully guaranteed forward Jeff Green’s $9.6 million salary, league sources say @hoopshype. Green, who played 78 games last season and turns 38 in August, remains a key contributor to the Rockets’ rotation and a strong veteran presence in the locker room. pic.twitter.com/VwcYSSkHVZ

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 12, 2024

Last season, Green joined Houston, where he played 18 games during the 2019-20 season, as a free agent. Upon his return to Houston, the 16-year veteran played in 78 games, his most since the 2017-18 season. Additionally, he averaged 6.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting 45.6 percent from the field.

Houston Rockets fully guarantee veteran forward’s contract

Rockets members congratulate Jeff Green

Throughout the regular season, Green received public praise from head coach Ime Udoka. In January, Udoka spoke about Green’s work ethic and reliability.

“It’s impressive. He’s still athletic. He’s very motivated. He takes care of his body and takes pride in his work. I think it’s a testament to his work every day and what he brings to the team, but it’s kind of crazy when you think about it. He’s still playing at this level. He’s very reliable for us and we often ask him to do that when guys are struggling or they’re defending everywhere.”

Additionally, teammate Cam Whitmore echoed Udoka’s sentiments, saying, “It’s great to have (Green) on the team.”

“He definitely knows his strengths. He definitely knows how to defend certain players. He knows the players. He’s been in the league for a while now. It’s great to have him on the team. He makes sure he corrects the young players. That’s a great quality.”

Additionally, general manager Rafael Stone said the team was “lucky” to sign the champion Denver Nuggets, as well as Aaron Holiday, in free agency last summer.

“Both of those guys are guys that we’ve liked for a long time,” Stone said, via Kelly Iko of The Athletic. “We were fortunate that they were free agents at a time when we could play free agency. And so yeah, they played well and I’m happy about that. Jeff is a super veteran player, but Aaron has been around for a while, too. So they both came in and did exactly what we thought they would do. And we thought with our current mix, they fit in well. And it’s nice that over the course of a quarter of a season, it worked out that way.”

The Last Word on Jeff Green

Green has built his career on being a solid, reliable player. This upcoming season will be Green’s last under contract. And the soon-to-be 38-year-old may not sign a new contract next summer. At this point in his career, it seems like any year could be his last in the NBA. However, it’s clear he still has some energy left in the tank.