Tuesday, the Houston Rockets signed JD Davison to a new two-year contract, per ESPN's Shams Charania. The fourth-year guard was previously on a two-way deal. Just like last season with the Boston Celtics, he has earned a standard NBA contract late in the regular season.
Davison was no longer eligible for a two-way contract with the Celtics last summer. The franchise also had to prioritize regaining flexibility after consecutive campaigns over the second apron. So, as much as they would have liked to have brought him back, he found himself on the open market.
That ultimately led to the former Alabama star finding a new home in Houston. There, he quickly began to thrive. The six-foot-one guard had a strong showing at training camp and during the preseason. He has appeared in 27 regular-season contests. He's averaging 2.2 points, 1.0 assists, and nearly 1.0 rebounds per game in 7.1 minutes of floor time.
Now, Davison is playoff-eligible. He continues to illustrate to teams around the Association that he's worth investing in.
JD Davison's success is also a Celtics' success story
First and foremost, the credit for Davison signing a new contract with the Rockets belongs to him. With that said, one doesn't reach this point alone. And while he's no longer with the Celtics, the first three years of his NBA journey were with the league's original monarchy.
The 23-year-old guard arrived in Boston as the 53rd overall selection in the 2022 NBA Draft. He blossomed into a G League MVP. As his game evolved and the shy, quiet kid from Alabama stepped out of his comfort zone, he became more of a leader. He also rewrote the Maine Celtics' record books along the way.
His growth is a shining example of Boston's elite player development system. It has helped individuals ranging from Sam Hauser to Luke Kornet, Baylor Scheierman, Neemias Queta, Jordan Walsh, and more go from honing their craft in the G League to finding NBA success. The Celtics' staff has also helped those at the top of the roster, including franchise cornerstones Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, grow their game.
While Davison is no longer with the Celtics, he's continuing to build on the foundation laid in his three years within their infrastructure.