The Houston Rockets have waived Rafael Castro, leaving an open spot on the roster for another 2-way contract.
Rockets Waive Center Rafael Castro
The Houston Rockets have officially parted ways with Rafael Castro, waiving the 23-year-old big man after just signing him to a two-way contract back in August.
Houston initially targeted Castro after waiving Tristen Newton to open up a two-way slot alongside Sean Pedulla and Quadir Copeland. The front office saw an opportunity to pivot toward frontcourt depth by taking a low-risk flier on a developmental big man.
At the time, all three of their two-way contracts were given to guards, so it made sense to add a new dynamic. This was one of the reasons I was surprised at hearing the news of Castro being waived.
His departure brings a swift conclusion to what looked like a promising developmental player, and its hard to see how much a chance he was given based on the short time he was on the roster. He did not even get to play a game for the NBA G League Associate team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
Castro’s seemed promising through the NBA pre-draft and free-agency. Despite standing 6-foot-11 with a wingspan stretching over seven feet and a 36.5-inch vertical jump recorded at the 2026 NBA Draft Combine, he went unselected on draft night. Shortly after, initial reports linked him to a two-way deal with the Milwaukee Bucks. While he suited up for Milwaukee during both the California Classic and the Las Vegas Summer League, that contract was never finalized due to a roster logjam, opening the door for Houston to swoop in and sign him as an unrestricted free agent.
Looking at his collegiate production, it is easy to see why front offices remained intrigued by his potential. During his redshirt senior season at George Washington, Castro was a dominant interior force. Across 27 games, he averaged 15.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.7 blocks in 27.3 minutes per contest, converting at an elite 62.7 percent clip from the floor. His disruptive two-way motor and knack for defensive takeaways even earned him national recognition as a Lefty Driesell National Defensive Player of the Year Finalist.
At 23 years old, Castro’s appeal stemmed primarily from his raw physical tools, paint finishing, and rim protection, which are assets that would work well with Ime Udoka’s coaching strategies.
While the Rockets have quietly assembled an impressive young core this offseason, their developmental center spot is once again open due to Castro being waved. Who do the Rockets plan to give their third and final two-way contract to?
