Houston Rockets to add G-League point guard Michael Frazier

The Houston Rockets will sign former G-League point guard Michael Frazier in an effort to add more depth on the bench as the postseason approaches.

As the NBA nears closer to the start of the postseason, Houston Rockets’ general manager, Daryl Morey, is still making moves. On Saturday, the Rockets signed Michael Frazier, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

Frazier has clearly been working hard on his game this season, as the point guard averaged 16.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists for Houston’s G-League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. His performance earned him this season’s G-League Most Improved Player of the Year.

Frazier is also an elite volume 3-point shooter, making him a great fit for Houston. Frazier attempted 7.4 3-pointers this season and made 38.1 percent of those shots.

Obviously, Houston already has a deep roster. With James Harden, Chris Paul, Eric Gordon and Austin Rivers playing at guard, Frazier is unlikely to see the floor, outside of garbage time.

Frazier is still just 25, and with his recent jump in improvement, he could make enough progress to earn a permanent spot on the roster in the future. However, the Rockets likely added Frazier to strengthen the bench in case they get bit with the injury bug in the playoffs.

Injuries really took a toll on Houston earlier in the season. Clint Capela missed about a month between January and February with a thumb injury. Chris Paul missed a little more than a month between December and February with a strained hamstring. Of course, Paul also missed the last two games in the 2018 Western Conference Finals after the Rockets took a 3-2 lead over Golden State. Had Paul remained healthy, the Rockets could have advanced to the Finals. Both Eric Gordon and Gerald Green have missed time this year as well.

Luckily, the Rockets managed to turn things around despite an unhealthy roster and currently sit third in the Western Conference. However, depth becomes increasingly important in the postseason if a rotational player has to miss time due to injury, as we saw last season.