Trhae Mitchell

Shaquille Harrison Named NBAGL Defensive Player Of The Year

Former NBA guard Shaquille Harrison, who has been playing for the South Bay Lakers, has been named the NBA G League’s Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in three seasons, the league announced (via Twitter). Harrison previously won the award in 2021/22 while playing for the Delaware Blue Coats, the Sixers’ NBAGL affiliate.

In 34 regular season games with South Bay in 2023/24, Harrison averaged 15.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 6.5 APG and a league-best 2.9 SPG in 34.1 MPG. He posted a .518/.330/.663 shooting line over that span. Harrison also appeared in nine Showcase Cup games with South Bay this season, averaging 10.3 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 7.9 APG and 1.9 SPG on .431/.333/.667 shooting in 31.4 MPG.

Harrison spent training camp and preseason with the Grizzlies this fall after inking an Exhibit 10 contract. He was waived before the season started. However, they brought him back on a 10-day hardship deal, and he appeared in three games for six total minutes with Memphis this season.

The seven-year veteran has appeared in 183 total regular season games with Phoenix, Chicago, Utah, Denver, Brooklyn, Portland and Memphis, holding career averages of 5.2 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 1.6 APG and 1.0 SPG on .435/.281/.718 shooting in 15.2 MPG.

According to the NBA, Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Rockets) guard Trhae Mitchell and Maine Celtics center Kylor Kelley finished second and third, respectively, for the award, which was voted on by head coaches and general managers.

Rockets Sign Pierria Henry, Waive Trhae Mitchell

The Rockets have made a pair of minor roster moves, waiving swingman Trhae Mitchell and signing free agent guard Pierria Henry, the team announced today.

Mitchell, who played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers – Houston’s G League team – last season, signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Rockets this week and is expected to head back to the Vipers this fall.

It appears a stint with the Vipers may also be in the cards for Henry, a longtime standout in Europe, where he won a Turkish League championship with Fenerbahçe in 2022 and a Spanish League title in 2020 with Baskonia. The 29-year-old is a strong three-and-D player who was a member of the Wizards’ Summer League team in July.

Henry played his college ball at Charlotte from 2011-15 and has exclusively played in Europe since then. Unless the Rockets have bigger plans for him, he may view a stint in the G League as his best shot to make it to the NBA.

Houston still has a full 20-man roster following today’s roster moves.

Rockets Sign Trhae Mitchell

The Rockets have signed Trhae Mitchell, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets.

While Feigen didn’t specify, it’s likely an Exhibit 10 deal.

The 6’6” Mitchell, 25, played for Houston’s G League team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, last season and averaged 10 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 28 games, including 23 starts. He also appeared in five games for the Rockets’ Summer League team.

It’s likely Mitchell will soon be placed on waivers, then return to the Rio Grande team. If he has an Exhibit 10 deal, he could earn a bonus up to $50K.