Rockets Sending TyTy Washington Jr. Back To G League

Despite taking the helm as the backup point guard, the Houston Rockets re-assigned TyTy Washington Jr. back to the G League Saturday morning.

HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets announced Saturday morning that rookie prospect TyTy Washington Jr. had been re-assigned to their G League affiliate team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

When the Rockets recalled Washington from the G League on Dec. 4, he had established himself as the team's backup point guard over Daishen Nix. But after Jae'Sean Tate returned from an ankle injury Thursday night against the Utah Jazz, coach Stephen Silas said the team is "moving things around."

Washington appeared in seven consecutive games averaging 13.0 minutes. But against the Jazz, he recorded a DNP due to the coach's decision. Tate took the helm as Houston's reserve floor general in the loss.

"I just want him to get some minutes and continue to grow," Silas said. "As much as we can try and tell him, 'this is what you have to work on,' he has to feel it. Going back down there, he will be able to apply the things he learned while he was here." 

Washington's latest G League assignment will mark his third stint with the Vipers.

During his last outing, he averaged 20.2 points on 47.9 percent shooting from the field, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals across 10 games. He helped the Vipers begin the season with an 8-3 record.

Washington scored 25 points in his final game to lift the Vipers to a 114-107 victory over the Lakeland Magic on Dec. 3.

He played his first meaningful NBA minutes on Dec. 15 during the Rockets' 111-108 loss to the Miami Heat. Washington played 12 minutes and recorded five assists, two points and zero turnovers. 

When he was on the court, the second unit kept the ball moving, which helped Houston's offense from becoming stagnant.

"He did a good job," Silas said. "He ran the show and made plays for his teammates. With five assists and no turnovers, that's pretty good. For his first game, he looked uncomfortable early on. But once he settled in, he did a good job."

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