Rockets: Gary Clark gets a two-way contract after strong preseason

The Houston Rockets may have found a diamond in the rough in undrafted rookie Gary Clark. He deserves to be on the team this season and will do so with his new two-way contact.

The Houston Rockets are pretty good at identifying talents outside of the draft. They have done it once again, this time with undrafted rookie Gary Clark. He showed out for the team in the preseason and should find time with the team this season.

Clark in his last season with Cincinnati averaged a very respectable 12.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game on 52.6% shooting (43.5% from 3). He turned into an elite shooter his senior year and that showed as he began his first NBA action.

Preseason showing out

Gary Clark proved that he deserves to have a chance to play some minutes with the Rockets in the regular season. He showed intensity on both ends of the floor and looked like a natural NBA player.

In the five games he played, Clark averaged just 7.6 points a game but did so shooting 55% (10/18) from downtown. He knocked down shots with ease and fit in very well with the offensive and defensive schemes of the Rockets.

At 6’7, Clark can play many positions off the bench for the Rockets. While he probably won’t crack the rotation this year, the team announced today that they are converting his contract into a two-way deal so he can get some NBA experience this year.

#Rockets converting Vince Edwards and Gary Clark to two-way players, waive four others. #NBA https://t.co/imz9xdGAcA

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) October 13, 2018

Two-way deal

With the two-way contract, Clark could play 41 games for the Rockets and use the rest of the time to improve his game further in the G League with the RGV Vipers.

Last season, the Rockets used their two-way contracts on Demetrius Jackson and Briante Weber, both of which had some minutes and opportunities to play. While they didn’t make the most of those opportunities, Clark could be a better fit for the team as he can actually shoot.

Vincent Edwards

It was also announced that Vince Edwards received the second two-way contract. While his preseason wasn’t quite as strong as Clark’s, he still was a second-round pick of the team and has the potential to be good for the Rockets in the future.

Edwards will need some time in the G League to tune his skills. His shot was great in college but inconsistent in the preseason and Summer League. Let’s hope he can figure some things out and contribute to the Rockets soon!

What do you think of the new additions to the team?