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In a move designed to maximize options in the opening days of 2025 free agency, the Houston Rockets and veteran center Jock Landale mutually agreed to delay the guarantee date for his 2025-26 salary from June 29 until July 7.
The decision was first reported by The Athletic’s Fred Katz. Free agency negotiations can officially begin on Monday, June 30.
After restructuring Fred VanVleet’s deal to a lower annual rate, Houston is in line to potentially stay beneath the league’s first apron and its luxury tax threshold. In turn, this could allow the Rockets to use the NBA’s non-taxpayer, mid-level exception (NT-MLE) to sign a free agent for to $14.1 million in starting annual salary.
Houston’s recent decisions to re-sign a trio of veteran reserves (Aaron Holiday, Jae’Sean Tate, and Jeff Green) to reduced salaries suggests a disciplined fiscal approach to those final bench slots, with an eye on freeing up NT-MLE flexibility to pursue a rotation upgrade.
For that financial plan to work, the Rockets likely need to either trade Landale or decline the $8-million salary under his previous contract. If the Rockets were to pick up Landale’s contract at that figure, their collective team salary would likely reach a level that prevents NT-MLE access.
Yet, Landale’s non-guaranteed salary is also potentially useful as a matching piece in trades. So, by delaying the deadline, the Rockets keep that path open — should general manager Rafael Stone decide that a trade is more worthwhile than an outright NT-MLE signing. From Landale’s perspective, since his 2025-26 salary would have to be guaranteed in order for that $8-million figure to count for trade purposes, he has a clear financial incentive to let things play out.
Because Landale played only sparingly last season, he likely wouldn’t be in line to make $8 million, annually, should he be sent into free agency.
The Rockets initially signed Landale in the 2023 offseason, and he was slotted at the time as the primary backup at center to Alperen Sengun. But the arrival of Steven Adams bumped Landale to third string in 2024-25, and in 2025-26, Adams will be two years removed from his previous knee surgery and without any medical restrictions or limitations. Last season, Adams’ maintenance absences gave Landale more opportunities than a third-string center would normally receive.
With Adams now fully cleared, $8 million is an excessive figure for a third-string center that won’t regularly feature in Houston’s playing rotation. So, Stone and head coach Ime Udoka will likely attempt to use that salary slot more efficiently next season, be it with a trade or by gaining full access the NT-MLE to backfill a rotation role that had belonged to Dillon Brooks (before the large consolidation trade sending Brooks, Jalen Green, and draft assets to Phoenix for All-Star forward Kevin Durant).
Landale, 29, averaged 4.8 points (52.2% FG) and 3.2 rebounds in 12.9 minutes over the past two seasons (2023-24 and 2024-25) with the Rockets.
Should Houston ultimately waive Landale, it’s possible that the Rockets could attempt to re-sign him (similar to Holiday, Tate, and Jeff Green) at a lower price point. However, if playing for near the minimum salary, the Australian big man might prefer to go to a team where he has a more clear path to playing time.
More: Despite losing minutes, Jock Landale understands why Rockets prioritized Steven Adams
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Rockets, Jock Landale to delay 2025-26 contract deadline until July 7
Continue reading...
The decision was first reported by The Athletic’s Fred Katz. Free agency negotiations can officially begin on Monday, June 30.
After restructuring Fred VanVleet’s deal to a lower annual rate, Houston is in line to potentially stay beneath the league’s first apron and its luxury tax threshold. In turn, this could allow the Rockets to use the NBA’s non-taxpayer, mid-level exception (NT-MLE) to sign a free agent for to $14.1 million in starting annual salary.
Houston’s recent decisions to re-sign a trio of veteran reserves (Aaron Holiday, Jae’Sean Tate, and Jeff Green) to reduced salaries suggests a disciplined fiscal approach to those final bench slots, with an eye on freeing up NT-MLE flexibility to pursue a rotation upgrade.
For that financial plan to work, the Rockets likely need to either trade Landale or decline the $8-million salary under his previous contract. If the Rockets were to pick up Landale’s contract at that figure, their collective team salary would likely reach a level that prevents NT-MLE access.
Yet, Landale’s non-guaranteed salary is also potentially useful as a matching piece in trades. So, by delaying the deadline, the Rockets keep that path open — should general manager Rafael Stone decide that a trade is more worthwhile than an outright NT-MLE signing. From Landale’s perspective, since his 2025-26 salary would have to be guaranteed in order for that $8-million figure to count for trade purposes, he has a clear financial incentive to let things play out.
Because Landale played only sparingly last season, he likely wouldn’t be in line to make $8 million, annually, should he be sent into free agency.
The Rockets initially signed Landale in the 2023 offseason, and he was slotted at the time as the primary backup at center to Alperen Sengun. But the arrival of Steven Adams bumped Landale to third string in 2024-25, and in 2025-26, Adams will be two years removed from his previous knee surgery and without any medical restrictions or limitations. Last season, Adams’ maintenance absences gave Landale more opportunities than a third-string center would normally receive.
With Adams now fully cleared, $8 million is an excessive figure for a third-string center that won’t regularly feature in Houston’s playing rotation. So, Stone and head coach Ime Udoka will likely attempt to use that salary slot more efficiently next season, be it with a trade or by gaining full access the NT-MLE to backfill a rotation role that had belonged to Dillon Brooks (before the large consolidation trade sending Brooks, Jalen Green, and draft assets to Phoenix for All-Star forward Kevin Durant).
Landale, 29, averaged 4.8 points (52.2% FG) and 3.2 rebounds in 12.9 minutes over the past two seasons (2023-24 and 2024-25) with the Rockets.
Should Houston ultimately waive Landale, it’s possible that the Rockets could attempt to re-sign him (similar to Holiday, Tate, and Jeff Green) at a lower price point. However, if playing for near the minimum salary, the Australian big man might prefer to go to a team where he has a more clear path to playing time.
More: Despite losing minutes, Jock Landale understands why Rockets prioritized Steven Adams
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Rockets, Jock Landale to delay 2025-26 contract deadline until July 7
Continue reading...
