Even though the NBA Finals are still going on and it's not officially the offseason, the Houston Rockets have been keeping busy. First, they gave Steven Adams a new three-year deal to prevent him from hitting free agency, then they signed head coach Ime Udoka to a lucrative extension. With the 2025 NBA Draft less than a week away, the Rockets will continue to be active in negotiations, both with their own players and with other teams for potential trades.
One player they will likely not have much negotiation with, however, is veteran center Jock Landale. The 29-year-old has a non-guaranteed $8 million salary for next season. If the Rockets don't waive the Australian big man by June 29, this salary becomes fully guaranteed.
Jock Landale's Time in Houston Is Coming to an End
Considering that the Rockets don't need Landale in the rotation after re-signing Adams, it's hard to imagine them paying their third-string center $8 million for next season. They should be able to find the same production from a free agent center that they can sign for a veteran's minimum deal.
The only reason to guarantee Landale's deal would be to use his salary in a potential trade. If the Rockets have a trade in mind that requires $8 million for salary-matching purposes, Landale's contract could be a trade chip that Houston uses instead of giving up one of their valuable young assets.
Since Landale will be treated as a negative-value contract by other teams in the league, his involvement in a trade will complicate matters. Even if the Rockets don't waive him by his guarantee date, Landale will almost certainly not be in Houston next season. The only intrigue left for his future is whether he will be traded or released over the next ten days.