Inside The Rockets

Rockets Have Center Depth with Jock Landale

Houston Rockets big man Jock Landale may be one of the best third centers in the NBA.

Jeremy Brener

Sep 30, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Jock Landale (2) during Houston Rockets media day. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Sep 30, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Jock Landale (2) during Houston Rockets media day. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
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At the beginning of last year, Jock Landale looked like a bust for the Houston Rockets.

However, once he got acclimated to the Rockets, Landale began to look like a strong piece for the team. Throughout his first year in Houston, Landale averaged 4.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in 56 appearances for the Rockets.

Now entering his second season with the team, Landale is expected to remain out of the rotation, especially with Steven Adams taking over his backup role behind Alperen Sengun.

That being said, the NBA has a long season ahead, and the Rockets will have to use as many players as they have if they want to navigate the year. Eventually, having Landale on the roster will be an asset for the Rockets, even if he may be slightly overpaid at $8 million per year.

Having Landale on the squad when he could be in a number of rotations on other teams around the league is a massive plus. If Sengun or Adams gets hurt or doesn't play in a back-to-back, inserting Landale in the lineup won't take away a ton of value.

He may end up as a trade target ahead of February's deadline, but whether he stays on the team or night, Landale will have some value for the Rockets this season.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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