Houston

Rockets

A second-round pick in the 2024 draft, Newton has appeared in nine NBA games during his first two seasons, spending most of his time in the G League. The Rockets’ guard is coming off an excellent season with the franchise’s G League affiliate, and the hope is that Newton plays well enough in Las Vegas to earn a longer look in 2026-27. Newton didn’t have the best game against the Raptors, struggling from the field and not recording an assist. However, his production improved over his output in Friday’s win over the Nuggets, and the ball was in rookie Bruce Thornton’s hands quite often. Given Houston’s depth at point guard, Newton faces long odds of being fantasy-relevant next season.

After scoring 27 points in his summer league debut on Friday, Thornton produced another solid effort on Saturday. He wasn’t as prolific offensively, but the second-round pick offered value in the rebound, assist and steal categories. Given his age and experience, Thornton is well-equipped to compete for a spot on the back end of the Rockets’ rotation immediately. The issue is the rest of Houston’s perimeter rotation, especially after the signing of Marcus Smart.

The 31st overall pick in last month’s draft, Thornton was given a guaranteed deal by the Rockets. The rookie guard repaid that faith in his summer debut, going for a game-high 27 points. Thornton did a little bit of everything, and he committed just one turnover in his 35 minutes. The Rockets strengthened their backcourt rotation by signing Marcus Smart in free agency, so earning consistent rotation minutes could be a challenge for Thornton. However, while undersized, he’s a tough, competitive guard who can add value when on the floor.

The veteran team will join his fifth NBA team after agreeing to a deal with the Jazz. Okogie, known for his defensive versatility, spent last season with the Rockets, where he averaged 4.5 points across 78 regular-season games. He’s unlikely to see significant enough playing time to produce at a level that is valuable for fantasy basketball next season.

For Houston, this move was all about creating financial flexibility. Charlotte adds a veteran forward that can still play a solid role off the bench if needed, but they also added three more second-round picks, pushing their total to 20 over the next seven years. That gives them plenty of ammo to make moves in the future, while DFS will make an impact in the locker room immediately.

Eason was a restricted free agent this offseason, but managed to stay with the Rockets without signing an offer sheet elsewhere. The 25-year-old power forward has been a regular bench option for Houston, appearing in 117 games over the past two seasons while averaging 11.2 points and 6.3 rebounds. Sometimes the best ability is availability and Eason would have more fantasy value if he could play a full season next year.

Still only 32, Smart is a 12-year NBA veteran best known for his nine-year tenure with the Celtics. He won the Defensive Player of the Year award in the 2021-22 season. Smart was still a significant piece for the Lakers last year as he averaged 9.3 points and 3.0 assists in 28.5 minutes per game. He opted out of his contract with the Lakers and was rewarded by the Rockets with a slight pay bump. NBA Insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer previously reported the Rockets were a potential landing spot for Smart.

VanVleet, who will make $25 million next season, did not play at all in 2025-26 after suffering a torn ACL weeks before the start of training camp. In his first two seasons with the Rockets, the point guard averaged 15.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.9 three-pointers per game. Last season, Houston missed VanVleet’s on-court leadership and ability to organize, which factored into the team’s first-round playoff elimination. It’s unknown whether VanVleet will be a full go at training camp in late September, but his availability would be a big deal for the Rockets.

After two seasons at Syracuse, Copeland played for Will Wade at both McNeese and NC State before turning pro this spring. The 6-foot-6 guard’s lone season at NC State was his most productive, with Copeland averaging 13.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.7 three-pointers in 28.9 minutes, shooting 49.4 percent from the field, 39.7 percent from three and 77.7 percent from the foul line. In addition to the playmaking ability, Copeland showed signs of being able to do more as a perimeter shooter at the next level. It was a surprise that he went undrafted, but this is a good landing spot for Copeland to develop. The Rockets have a lot of talent at the top, but he should help provide depth in the backcourt.

Thornton spent all four of his seasons at Ohio State, with the production improving each year. As a senior, the 6-foot guard averaged 19.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.8 three-pointers, shooting 55.4 percent from the field and 82.9 percent from the foul line. Measured at 223 pounds at the NBA Draft Combine, Thornton’s strength and lower center of gravity make him a challenging player to keep from getting to his spots offensively. The Knicks once again moved down in the draft, sending picks 31 and 55 to Houston for 39, 53 and a 2029 second-round pick via Sacramento. As a result, Thornton is headed to Houston, which needs perimeter depth with Fred VanVleet coming off a torn ACL and Aaron Holiday being a free agent. Given his experience and physical build, Thornton will have an opportunity to crack the back end of the rotation.