Utah Jazz Sign Former Rockets 1st Rounder

The Utah Jazz have added a former first-round draft pick to their burgeoning list of young talent, signing ex-Houston Rockets guard Josh Christopher.

Utah Jazz have signed Josh Christopher to a two-way NBA deal! 💪

Christopher, 21, averaged 6.9 PPG on 45.5 FG% in 15.4 MPG over two seasons in Houston.

Thoughts on the pickup? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/MDh48Y0vL2

— NBA Buzz (@OfficialNBABuzz) October 12, 2023

Christopher, 21, was selected with the 24th pick by Houston in the 2021 NBA Draft and has played 138 games with the Rockets over the past two years. He's averaged 6.9 points in 15.4 minutes per night. He'll now follow in his older brother's footsteps, Patrick, who played four games for the Jazz in 2014-15.

The younger Christopher can put the ball in the basket, as evidenced by his career-high game of 30 points, back in April of 2022, when he shot 11-for-14 from the field in 30 minutes in a Rockets game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He's had five other 20-point games in his young career, as well.

His other single-game career highs illustrate his full range of talents, as he featured an eight-rebound game, a seven assists night, and collected five steals on another occasion.

Christopher was part of a a five-team trade that landed Dillon Brooks in Houston in a sign-and-trade. The Memphis Grizzlies then waived Christopher at the end of September. 

He'll now add some nice scoring depth off the bench for the Jazz.

Photo: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports