Nene, Rockets agree to 3-year deal after 1st contract was nixed by NBA

Nene and the Houston Rockets have agreed to a three-year, $11 million deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Nene had originally agreed to a four-year deal worth $15 million on Saturday, but the deal was nixed because the league’s new over-38 rule. In that rule, players cannot be signed to contracts longer than three years if the deal would extend to or past their 38th birthday.

Once the original deal was off, the 34-year-old Nene originally wasn’t interested in losing that extra money and reconsidered his options on the open market. However, he ultimately came back to Houston, re-signing with them at a three-year rate which was about the same as his four-year one, just without the extra year.

Nene is a perfect fit for the Rockets, providing them a reliable, veteran backup center who’s one of the league’s best finishers around the rim. In last year’s playoffs, Nene just about single-handedly won Game 4 for Houston in the first round against Oklahoma City, going 12-of-12 from the field with 28 points and 10 rebounds. When Nene suffered a season-ending thigh injury in Game 4 against the Spurs, it was a huge blow for Houston, who saw Clint Capela struggle in his absence.

Houston may have surpassed San Antonio with the addition of Chris Paul, although only time and a possible playoff rematch can really say that for sure. Regardless, Nene is a quality addition.