Patrick Beverley Says He Was Close to Signing Rockets Contract, Salary Cap an Issue

Former Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley revealed that he nearly returned to the team as a free agent during the 2025 offseason.

"I was in Houston working out with the Rockets for the last two, three weeks," Beverley said on a Monday Twitch stream with N3on (1:51:50 mark). "I was really close. But with the cap, they don't have a lot of space. They can't really guarantee, because I think they first apron. But I was really, really close."

The Rockets are hard-capped at the first apron following a flurry of offseason moves that was headlined the acquisition of star forward Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade with the Phoenix Suns.

Houston has roughly $1.3 million in first apron space, via Spotrac. This leaves the team unable to sign Beverley, who would carry a $2.3 million cap hit on a veteran minimum contract, without making a trade first.

Beverley received his first NBA action with the Rockets during the 2012-13 season, immediately standing out with his relentless defense. He went on to earn 2014 All-Defensive Second Team honors as well as a First Team selection with Houston in 2017.

He eventually played with six other teams throughout his NBA tenure, last appearing with the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2023-24 season.

Beverley signed a contract with Hapoel Tel Aviv BC of the Israeli Premier League in July 2024 before parting ways with the team on Feb. 13.