Jock Landale Credits Suns After Massive Contract With Rockets

Former Phoenix Suns center Jock Landale says playing with superstars helped him reach his new contract with the Houston Rockets.

The Phoenix Suns gained plenty of talent over the last six months. 

After the team acquired Kevin Durant at the trade deadline, another early playoff exit saw the Suns grab Bradley Beal in a massive deal with the Washington Wizards. Free agency saw names such as Eric Gordon, Yuta Watanabe, Keita Bates-Diop, Drew Eubanks and Chimezie Metu added to the rotation via free agency.

With gains come losses, and one player who was able to cash in on a major payday was Jock Landale, who inked a four-year, $32 million contract with the Houston Rockets after having his qualifying offer removed from the Suns just as free agency was starting. 

“I felt as though I had worked my way into when I played and when I played heavy minutes I always produced and I was like, if I can get the trust of a coach who has the front office behind him, or me, and they are all kind of supporting that decision, absolutely I believe I can play to that contract,” Landale said in an interview with ESPN Australia (h/t Arizona Sports).

Landale famously replaced Deandre Ayton in crunch time of a postseason game, benching a former No. 1 overall pick who inked a max deal the summer prior. 

Though Landale's first year of his deal is the only one guaranteed, he says he's ready to stay hungry in his new environment.

“Given it’s not guaranteed there is no ability for me to take my foot off the gas and I think that is really, really important and it kind of plays into my character a bit. I’ve still got to earn everything,” said Landale, who then dove into his time in Phoenix.

“Having a quality guy like Biz (Bismack Biyombo) right beside me, it became about what is best for the team.

“Every team needs the guys who are willing to sacrifice their own numbers and bodies to go out there and help the superstars get loose and make their lives easier and that is where I think I am really handy and I have figured that out with KD and Book,” said Landale.