Rockets Sign Tristen Newton to Two-Way Contract

Support The HRR

Posted: January 3, 2026 -- 5:54 p.m. CT

The Houston Rockets today announced they have signed guard Tristen Newton to a two-way contract.

Newtown (6'5", 202) was the 49th overall pick by Indiana in the 2024 NBA Draft and spent last season with the Pacers and Minnesota. He began this season with the Iowa Wolves of the G League and led all players in scoring (26.2 ppg) during the Tip-Off Tournament, while ranking seventh in assists (8.0 apg).

As a senior at Burges High School in El Paso in 2018-19, Newtown led the state of Texas in scoring with 37.2 ppg. He began his collegiate career at East Carolina before transferring to the University of Connecticut. Newtown helped the Huskies win back-to-back National Championships and was named the 2024 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player.

In the NBA, a Two-Way contract is a contract that allows players to suit up for both an NBA team and that team's NBA G League affiliate. Each team is allowed to have a maximum of three players on Two-Way deals at the same time. Two-way contracts allow NBA teams to carry three extra players in addition to the 15 on their regular season roster.

Two-Way contracts are available to players with up to three years of NBA experience. Players on Two-Way contracts are also limited to a maximum of 50 games with their NBA team. Players on two-way contracts will earn $636,435 in 2025-26, half of the rookie minimum. Two-way contracts can't be signed after March 4. Two-way players are ineligible to play in the postseason (including play-in games) unless they're promoted to the standard 15-man roster, which can happen at any time up until the last day of the regular season.

In a related move, the Rockets have waived two-way forward Tyler Smith.

CLICK HERE for Rockets' news and information.