JD Davison’s Emergence Gives Rockets a Roster Decision to Make
JD Davison hasn’t seen a ton of NBA floor time this season, but when he has, the fourth-year guard has made it count. On a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets, Davison has mostly flown under the radar - until Saturday night in Oklahoma City, when he made a serious case for a bigger role.
In just 18 minutes off the bench, the 6-foot-3 Alabama product gave Houston a jolt of energy and control. He scored 8 points on 3-of-5 shooting, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc, and added 4 rebounds.
More telling than the box score? The Rockets were +16 with Davison on the floor - the best plus-minus on the team in a game they ultimately won.
That kind of impact, especially in a tough road matchup against a physical Thunder squad, speaks volumes. With veteran point guard Fred VanVleet sidelined since September due to a torn ACL, the Rockets have been searching for stability at the position. Davison, at just 23, might be the most natural point guard on the roster right now - and that’s not lost on head coach Ime Udoka.
“I think JD was really good when he came in,” Udoka said after the win. “He has a really natural feel.
They were climbing into Reed [Sheppard] a little bit. We went with Reed and JD at the same time, to provide more [ball] handling.”
That combination - Davison’s poise and his ability to navigate pressure - could be exactly what Houston needs as they push toward the playoffs. But there’s a catch.
Because Davison is on a two-way contract, he’s limited to just 50 active games in the regular season. He’s already been active for 45 of the team’s 51 games - and we’re not even at the All-Star break yet. Two-way players also aren’t eligible to play in the postseason, which puts Houston in a bit of a bind.
The Rockets could convert Davison’s deal to a standard NBA contract, making him playoff-eligible and lifting the 50-game cap. That would also come with a raise - a well-earned one, if his recent play is any indication.
But the move isn’t so simple. Houston is right up against the NBA’s first apron hard cap, and converting Davison would likely prevent them from making any additional moves in the buyout market.
So the front office, led by GM Rafael Stone and Udoka, has a decision to make: lock in Davison now, or keep flexibility open for a potential buyout addition? Under Stone and Udoka, the Rockets have typically leaned toward a “best player available” approach when it comes to roster decisions. That philosophy will be tested in the coming weeks.
The timing, at least, works in Houston’s favor. The All-Star break begins after Wednesday’s home game against the Clippers, and by then, Davison will likely have used up 47 of his 50 allowable games. That gives the Rockets a window to evaluate not just Davison, but also who might become available on the buyout market - a process that often heats up just before the March 1 deadline, when waived players must be released to be playoff-eligible.
If the Rockets do decide to go the buyout route, Davison would remain with the organization on his two-way deal. And looking ahead, there’s a clear path for him to earn a full-time spot this summer. Once the league year resets in July, the first apron hard cap comes off the books, and Houston could create both the financial room and rotation space - especially if veteran Aaron Holiday departs in free agency.
But that’s the long game. The more pressing question is whether Davison has already done enough to warrant a standard deal now.
He’s been in Udoka’s system all season, knows the personnel, and has shown he can step in and contribute in meaningful minutes. That continuity matters, especially when compared to a buyout player who’d be coming in cold.
“With some of the ups and downs we’ve had at the point guard position, he’s one of our natural point guards out there,” Udoka said back in January. “We want to give him a look.
You saw him in the preseason, you’ve seen him in the G League for years, and any stint he’s had down there, he’s really dominant and takes command of the offense more. We’re very comfortable with him.”
That comfort level could be the tiebreaker. If the Rockets don’t see a clear upgrade in the buyout market, Davison’s familiarity with the system - and his recent performances - might be enough to earn him that contract conversion.
The clock is ticking. But if Saturday night in OKC was any indication, JD Davison is making the most of every second.