The Houston Rockets have found a solution on the perimeter.
According to a report from Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, seven-year veteran guard Austin Rivers has agreed to a fully guaranteed deal with the Rockets for the remainder of the 2018-19 season.
Rivers and Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni spoke on Saturday. The Rockets completed the agreement with Rivers Sunday morning. Rivers will sign, likely tomorrow, for the remainder of the season. Deal fully guaranteed. https://t.co/BPXWX56FiC
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) December 23, 2018
It's been a year of movement for Rivers, who was dealt from the LA Clippers to the Washington Wizards in the offseason. After spending 29 games with the Wizards in which he averaged 7.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per contest, he was traded to Phoenix along with Kelly Oubre Jr. in exchange for Trevor Ariza
Following the trade, Rivers and the Suns mutually agreed to part ways and the 26-year-old immediately garnered the interest of a number of teams on the free agent market. Ultimately, it was Houston that proved to be the best fit for the Duke product.
Winners of six of their last seven games, the Rockets (17-15) have surged their way back into the Western Conference playoff picture after a rough start to the year. Rivers' signing comes on the heels of a hamstring injury suffered by Chris Paul in the Rockets' Dec. 20 loss to the Miami Heat.
With Paul sidelined for up to three weeks, Austin Rivers provides depth as a combo guard that can play alongside James Harden, Eric Gordon or Brandon Knight in the backcourt. Rivers and Paul have preexisting chemistry from the two and a half seasons they spent as teammates with the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Rockets take the floor next when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Christmas Day.