Houston Rockets Release Maurice Harkless

The Houston Rockets are parting ways with 10-year NBA swingman Maurice Harkless. Shams Charania of The Athletic broke the news on Twitter:

The 29-year-old combo forward averaged 4.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game on 30.7% shooting from distance last season for the Sacramento Kings. His numbers were down from his career peripherals and he has spent the summer in a whirlwind of transactions.

The Kings first dealt Harkless to the Atlanta Hawks on July 6th, in a packaged deal with Justin Holiday and a conditional 2024 first round pick, for deadeye sharpshooter Kevin Huerter. He was then moved to the Oklahoma City Thunder in September along with a future 2029 second rounder for Vit Krejci and a disabled player exception. The Thunder then shipped Harkless to Houston a few days later in an eight-player deal.

The former Portland Trail Blazer was an integral role player for the franchise from 2015 to 2019. He put up a career high stat line of 10.0 points and 4.4 rebounds on an impressive 50.3% shooting in 77 games (69 starts) during the 2016-17 campaign. He followed that up with a 2017-18 season in which he shot a solid 41.5% from beyond the arc, good for 19th in the association.

NBA teams seeking a second (or third) unit filler who has playoff experience, as well as capability as a 3-and-D player, may look to Harkless prior to the regular season. He is set to make about $4.6 million this coming season, roughly $3 million above the veteran’s minimum.