Rockets Make Surprise Move, Signing Center To 4-Year Extension

All it took was a very small sample size of ten games at the end of last season for the Houston Rockets to be ready to sign 4th-year center Bruno Fernando to a 4-year extension. 

Bruno Fernando is signing with the Houston Rockets on a 4-year, $10.9 million deal, per @wojespn.

Fernando's two-way contract will be converted to this new long-term deal. pic.twitter.com/aHosXBLkmZ

— ClutchPoints NBA (@ClutchPointsNBA) October 2, 2022

The athletic 6'9", 240-pounder out of Maryland has inked a 4-year, $10.9M deal, and will have his two-way contract converted to the long-term deal. 

Fernando made a large impact in a tiny showing for the Rockets last season, putting up double-figures in four of his 10 games, with two double-doubles, while averaging 6.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and nearly a block per game, in only 9 minutes of action per night. On a per-36-minute basis, that works out to ridiculous averages of 26.4 points and 15.3 rebounds. 

Bruno Fernando has been "phenomenal" this summer, according to a source

— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) October 2, 2022

The 24-year-old has never really had that much of an impact in his previous stops in the NBA, playing in 119 games total, and averaging 3.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in nine minutes per game. 

He played four games in the G League last year with the Maine Celtics, where he posted marks of 13.8 points and 8.5 rebounds along with 1.3 blocks in 23 minutes per contest.

With Christian Wood gone, and Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. likely slotting into the starting center and power forward spots, there'll be some backup big man minutes to be had, from among a group that includes Fernando, Tari Eason, Usman Garuba, Boban Marjanovich and the newly-acquired Derrick Favors (if he isn't moved elsewhere). 

Photo: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports