The Houston Rockets have added some intriguing depth to their backcourt with the signing of 24-year-old guard Tristen Newton to a two-way contract. It’s a move that gives the Rockets flexibility - Newton can bounce between the NBA roster and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston’s G League affiliate - but it also signals that the organization sees real potential in the 6-foot-5 wing.
Newton’s journey to this point has been anything but linear. Drafted 49th overall by Indiana in 2024, he spent time with the Pacers and Timberwolves last season before getting caught in the numbers game during Minnesota’s final roster cuts this past preseason. Still, he left a strong impression on Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, who had nothing but praise for the young guard ahead of a recent matchup between the Wolves and Rockets.
“He’s a great kid who was outstanding for us,” Finch said. “It was fun to watch him get exponentially better.
When he first came in, the shooting was inconsistent. Now, it’s pretty high level.”
That growth is showing up in the numbers. Through 12 G League games this season, Newton is averaging 25.3 points and 4.8 assists per game while shooting a blistering 51.2% from the field and 40.9% from beyond the arc.
That’s a major leap from last season’s G League campaign, where he shot just 40% overall and 30.5% from three. The improvement isn’t just incremental - it’s eye-opening.
Before joining the Vipers, Newton had already made waves during the G League Tip-Off Tournament, leading all scorers with 26.2 points per game while also dishing out 8.0 assists, good for seventh in the tournament. That kind of production, paired with improved efficiency, has put him firmly on the radar.
This isn’t a player who came out of nowhere. Newton’s scoring chops go back to his high school days at Burges High in El Paso, where he led the entire state of Texas in scoring as a senior with 37.2 points per game.
He began his college career at East Carolina before transferring to UConn, where he played a key role in the Huskies’ back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024. In the 2024 tournament, he was named Most Outstanding Player - a testament to his two-way impact in high-stakes games.
Now, Newton finds himself alongside JD Davison and Isaiah Crawford as one of Houston’s three two-way players. Davison has already earned rotation minutes in recent games, and head coach Ime Udoka has made it clear that two-way contracts aren’t just for development - they’re opportunities. If you can contribute, you’ll get your shot.
And given the Rockets’ current struggles from deep, Newton’s sharpshooting could become more than just a luxury. Houston is in a bit of a skid, dropping five of their last seven games.
More concerning? Over that stretch, they’ve shot just 24.6% from three - the lowest mark in NBA history over a seven-game span with at least 200 attempts.
That’s not just a cold streak; it’s historically frigid.
This slump is a stark contrast to the team’s earlier form. During the 2025 portion of the season, Houston ranked second in the league in three-point shooting at 39.9%.
So, there’s hope that the current rotation can rediscover their rhythm. But if the slump lingers, the door could open for someone like Newton to step in and provide a spark.
For now, he’ll continue to develop with the Vipers. But with his size, scoring touch, and improved efficiency, Newton is positioning himself as more than just a G League standout - he’s a player to watch in Houston’s system. And if the opportunity comes, don’t be surprised if he makes the most of it.