Rockets sign UConn standout to 2-way contract

The Houston Rockets on Saturday signed guard Tristen Newton to a two-way contract. The team waived two-way forward Tyler Smith to create an opening. Newton, 24, becomes one of three players on Houston’s two-way deals alongside JD Davison and Isaiah Crawford.

The Indiana Pacers selected 6-foot-5, 202-pound guard Newton with the No. 49 overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft. Newton spent the early portion of the 2024–25 season on a two-way contract with Indiana and appeared in five NBA games before the team waived him on January 1, 2025. Just four days later, the Minnesota Timberwolves claimed him off waivers, keeping him on a two-way deal. Newton played in three games for Minnesota for a total of eight minutes before the Timberwolves waived him in October, after Johnny Juzang took his roster spot.

This season, Newton has been playing for the Iowa Wolves of the NBA G League. In 19 games, he’s averaging 26.8 points, 7.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game. He is shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from three-point range. While beginning the season with Iowa, Newton led the G League Tip-Off Tournament in scoring at 26.2 points per game and ranked seventh in assists at 8.0 per contest.

With the Rockets, Newton will be eligible to appear in up to 29 NBA games if the contract is finalized by the end of the day. His two-way salary becomes fully guaranteed if he remains on the roster through Wednesday. He will report to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston’s G League affiliate.

Smith, whom the Rockets waived to make room for Newton, is a 21-year-old power forward selected 33rd overall in the 2024 draft. He signed a two-way deal with Houston on December 2 but did not appear in an NBA game with the Rockets. Smith previously played 23 NBA games with the Milwaukee Bucks last season.

Newton’s resume includes a decorated collegiate career split between East Carolina and the University of Connecticut. He averaged 11.0 points and 3.7 assists as a freshman at East Carolina, later improving to 17.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists as a junior, earning All-AAC Second Team honors. After transferring to UConn, Newton helped the Huskies win national championships in 2023 and 2024. During the 2024 NCAA Tournament, he earned Most Outstanding Player honors, won the Bob Cousy Award, and and made the Consensus All-American First Team.

A Texas native, Newton starred at Burges High School in El Paso, where he scored 3,266 career points and led the state with 37.2 points per game as a senior.

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