5 Former Rockets who still don't have NBA jobs in 2025

The Houston Rockets have rostered a lot of talented players over the years. Some have been more talented than others.

For the last few years, it's been a mixed bag. That's what happens when you tank. The Rockets gave a shot to some players that may have struggled to find opportunities otherwise.

Some of them are thriving elsewhere. Unfortunately, others have struggled to find a new NBA home.

Here are five former Rockets who are no longer employed in the league.

1. Ben McLemore

Rockets fans may remember McLemore fondly. They may remember him poorly. It depends on which of his two seasons with the team they recall best.

In 2019-20, McLemore was a revelation. He shot 40.0% on a whopping 6.4 three-point attempts per game. The game has changed in the short time between now and then, but even on 2024 standards, that's a a gaudy number. McLemore was a perfect piece for a Mike D'Antoni team that was pushing the limitations of pace and space.

By 2020-21, McLemore was a shell of himself. He connected on 33.1% of his 5.2 attempts per contest. McLemore was a movement shooter who's value was contingent on his three-point percentage. If those shots aren't falling, he's not doing much.

The Rockets cut him midway through that season. The Lakers picked him up, McLemore spent one more season with the Trail Blazers, and his NBA career concluded. He's currently plying his trade in Turkey.

If he picks up the language, perhaps Houston would bring him back to covertly communicate with Alperen Sengun?

2. Bruno Cabocolo

When he was drafted, it was infamously said that Bruno Cabocolo was two years away from being two years away. As it turned out, even four years wasn't enough for him to get his NBA career in order.

In his 7 NBA seasons, Cabocolo suited up for four different teams. The Rockets were his last stop. He spent the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with the club, but he never saw more than 6.5 minutes per contest.

It was no surprise that Cabocolo couldn't find a place in the 2019-20 rotation. That team had championship aspirations. By contrast, it was telling when he couldn't find time with the rebuilding 2020-21 squad.

Cabocolo is a 6'9" wing with surprising quickness, but his skill never developed. At 29, his NBA dream isn't technically over:

But in two years, he'll be two years away from a standard age of retirement.

3. Khyri Thomas

Thomas has one of the more puzzling stories in this piece. It's hard to pinpoint what happened to him.

During his brief time in Houston, Thomas played well. He averaged 16.4 points and 5.0 assists in 30.6 minutes per game across 7 games. After giving him a major role, the tanking Rockets mysteriously waived him.

It's worth noting that Thomas shot just 33.3% from deep. For a guard who stands just 6'3", that's a problem. It's possible that the Rockets - and the NBA at-large - were low on a short(ish) guard who didn't space the floor.

Still, 6'3" is a tenable height for a backup point guard. Thomas was also a competitor on the defensive end of the floor. It's surprising that he never found a place as an NBA rotation guard, but the last time he played professional basketball, it was also in Turkey.

4. Danuel House Jr.

A lightning rod for controversy. An enigma. House Jr. played an ambiguous role in the Rockets' bubble controversy. He's the reason some Rockets fans have a No. 0 Jalen Green jersey hanging in their closet:

It's least it's a collector's oddity.

Let's talk about his on-court production. House Jr.'s best season in Houston was his first. In 2018-19, he shot 41.6% on 4.6 threes per game. As a wing averaging 9.4 points per game, the bulk of House Jr.'s offensive production came from beyond the arch.

As a 6'6" wing with solid lateral mobility, House Jr. was also a passable defender. This was a Moneyball signing for Houston - House Jr. wasn't great, but on a production-per-dollar basis, he was a great addition to D'Antoni's Rockets.

Don't be surprised if he finds another NBA opportunity.

5. Boban Marjanovic

Don't be surprised if Marjanovic finds his way back into the league either.

Now, finding his way onto an NBA floor is a different matter. The league has left players like Marjanovic behind. Lumbering big men who can't space the floor or defend in space have limited utility. He could step into an NBA game tomorrow and get two buckets in five minutes, but then he'd be gassed, and likely done for the evening.

Marjanovic is an optimal 12th-man. Fans love him. Teammates love him. Everyone loves the affable giant. As it stands, Marjanovic is playing in China:

They'll love him over there too.