Rockets Sign Thon Maker, Markquis Nowell To Camp Deals

The Rockets have signed center/forward Thon Maker and point guard Markquis Nowell to Exhibit 10 contracts for training camp, as first reported by NBA insiders Shams Charania and Kelly Iko of The Athletic. The Rockets later confirmed the move.

Maker, 27, is 7-foot-0 and was originally selected by the Bucks with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He did not play in the NBA last season.

He spent his first two-plus seasons with the Bucks before being traded to the Pistons. Perhaps his most notable moment came when he made a game-winning 3-pointer against the Hawks a couple weeks later — but the Pistons opted not to extend him a qualifying offer after the 2019-20 season.

Maker then signed with the Cavaliers for 2020-21 and appeared in eight games. He has been out of the NBA since, having spent time in the G League, Israel, Lebanon and China. He carries career averages of 4.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 44 percent shooting, including 37 percent on 3-pointers.

Nowell is 5-7 and spent most of last season with the Raptors on a two-way deal as a rookie. He appeared in one game with Toronto after going undrafted out of Kansas State, but spent plenty of time with Raptors 905 of the G League. In 22 games with 905, Nowell averaged 14.4 points, 8.7 assist and 3.1 rebounds.

An Exhibit 10 contract is a non-guaranteed minimum-salary deal. It doesn’t count toward a team’s cap unless the player makes the final roster. It also can be converted to a two-way deal before the season begins or mean guaranteed money if a player is waived and then stays on the G League club for at least 60 days.

Houston does have an open roster spot, but word is, both Maker and Nowell are likely headed to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the G League.