Versatile and defensive-minded, this 6’6” playmaker could capitalize on Houston’s thin wing rotation to transform his two-way contract into a permanent spot on the Rockets' bench.
The Houston Rockets’ general manager, Rafael Stone, made a very early signing this offseason, even before free agency truly opened. Back in June, virtually right after the draft, he reached out to offer a contract to college journeyman Quadir Copeland. While I’m sure every player has visions of being drafted, it still has to be nice to have a team reach out so quickly. He basically was a draft pick.
That being said, it seems like the front office is pretty high on him as a player, but fans may not be as familiar with his game. From what I gathered in his Summer League performances, he seems to be a very reserved guy who lets the game come to him.
He's an all-around player and somewhat of a statsheet-stuffer, putting up solid numbers with the Rockets this summer, as covered on Roundtable. He can definitely contribute as a plug-and-play guy, and I think his size and defensive capabilities will help with that.
While most two-way players won’t get much time in NBA games, and are limited to 50 appearances anyways, I think the Rockets’ roster can actually work in Copeland’s favor. After the departures of Josh Okogie and Dorian Finney-Smith, Houston is a little thin at the wing position. Even Jeff Green is a loss at the very end of the bench.
I don’t personally expect Isaiah Crawford or Jae’Sean Tate to get a ton of minutes with non-guaranteed contracts, so Tari Eason is the only guy filling that role off of the bench. He’s basically the only proven backup that Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. have.
Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic are guards, I don’t like them playing small forward. Amen Thompson could play more of an off-ball role, effectively making him a wing, but then there’s potential holes at point guard.
I’ve been questioning the health of Fred VanVleet for months, and unfortunately we still don’t have solid answers. If he’s sitting out in back-to-backs or has a minutes restriction, that changes things.
If Bruce Thornton isn’t actually NBA ready, that changes things. This is exactly where Copeland’s versatility plays a role. He’s a 6’6” point guard, so he can slot in easily with any backcourt mate. That size, along with his defense also makes me comfortable with him playing small forward.
He honestly seems a bit more versatile than either Jae’Sean Tate or Isaiah Crawford, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up getting similar minutes to him. If everything goes well, don’t be surprised if he gets a full NBA contract, just like Crawford just did this summer.
