Rockets Rumors: PJ Tucker's $7.9M Contract to Be Fully Guaranteed in 2020-21

Houston Rockets veteran PJ Tucker will have his 2020-21 contract fully guaranteed, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

The 34-year-old's $7.97 million base salary for 2020-21 was previously partially guaranteed, per Spotrac. Tucker is set to become an unrestricted free agent during the 2021 offseason.

Tucker signed a four-year, $32 million contract with Houston in July 2017.

The Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen added that $2.57 million was guaranteed to Tucker prior to the Rockets' decision to fully guarantee next season's salary and "obviously the Rockets intend to hang on to their starting center at that price."

Tucker's role on the Rockets expanded when the team dealt starting center Clint Capela to the Atlanta Hawks in a four-team trade before the NBA's deadline Thursday afternoon. As a result, the 6'5" Tucker will see much more time at the 5 in Houston's smaller lineup.

"The Rockets' history with small ball predates [Mike] D'Antoni's 2016 arrival in Houston, with general manager Daryl Morey experimenting with centers such as 6'6" Chuck Hayes more than a decade ago," Ben Golliver of the Washington Post wrote Saturday. "Throughout their recent playoff runs, D'Antoni has regularly turned to Tucker as his center in smaller, interchangeable lineups."

Tucker recorded 11 points and six rebounds in the Rockets' 121-111 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, their first game without Capela on the roster. He followed that up with a meek two points, two rebounds, one assist, one steal and two blocks in Houston's surprising 127-91 loss to Phoenix on Friday night.

Durability has been Tucker's strongest asset for the 33-19 Rockets. He's averaging 7.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 34.9 minutes across 52 games (all starts) this season.