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Report: Michael Carter-Williams, Rockets Agree to 1-Year Minimum Contract
July 3, 2018
Free-agent point guard Michael Carter-Williams agreed to a one-year, minimum contract with the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Carter-Williams spent the 2017-18 season with the Charlotte Hornets as a reserve, averaging 4.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 52 games played.
He struggled mightily from an offensive perspective, shooting a career-worst 33.2 percent from the field and 23.7 percent from three-point range.
MCW has dropped off considerably in recent years after beginning his NBA career in promising fashion.
The Philadelphia 76ers selected him with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft out of Syracuse, and he enjoyed a productive rookie campaign.
In his debut season, Carter-Williams averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game en route to being named Rookie of the Year.
He remained productive the following year but was traded from the Sixers to the Milwaukee Bucks.
He spent parts of two seasons with the Bucks before joining the Chicago Bulls and Hornets for one year each.
After averaging double figures in scoring and at least 5.0 assists and rebounds per game in each of his first three NBA seasons, Carter-Williams took on a far smaller role in Chicago.
He averaged over 30.0 minutes per game in each of his first three seasons, but he played just 18.8 minutes per game with the Bulls and then 16.1 minutes per game last season with the Hornets.
Although the 26-year-old is good at stuffing the stat sheet when given the opportunity, his poor shooting limits what he can do on the offensive end.
He has also struggled with injuries throughout his career, having never appeared in more than 70 games in a single season.
Over the past three seasons, MCW hasn't played in more than 54 games in a single campaign.
Despite his deficiencies, Carter-Williams can be a useful player in small doses for the Rockets, and the Hornets may miss his presence since it lacks true point guards on the roster behind Kemba Walker.
In Houston, MCW will serve as insurance for starting point guard Chris Paul, although James Harden will act as the primary ball-handler if injuries plague CP3 next season.