According to Jack Fisher, a reporter for the Open Stand, Rockets veteran DJ Augustine could reach a buyout contract with the Rockets in the coming weeks and eventually become a free agent.
Due to the stable performance and strength of rookie backcourt Josh Christopher, this also led to DJ Augustine being completely kicked out of the Rockets rotation lineup, you know, DJ Augustine has not been able to play in the past 9 games.
Augustine, 34, is clearly not the right player for the Rockets to rebuild, and in fact he is already in the final year of his contract, with only $333333 of contract guarantees in the 2022-23 season. So if the Rockets can't send Augustine away before the trade deadline, he's still likely to become a free agent in the 2022 offseason, which is why the Rockets can buy out the contract after the trade deadline.
However, according to Jonathan Fagan, a reporter for the Houston Chronicle, Augustine said he would prefer to stay with the Rockets after the trade deadline:
Considering that the Rockets are in the rebuilding phase of the game, and Augustine has been kicked out of the rotation, it doesn't really make much sense for him to stay with the Rockets.
Finally, it should be discussed that the Rockets' injury reports before the game against the Pelicans on February 9 have been updated, and the Rockets backcourt Eric Gordon and Daniel Theth (for personal reasons) will not play against the Pelicans:
Eric Gordon has been the team's worst injury problem in recent times, and considering that Gordon is one of the rockets' best-performing veteran players, this will definitely affect the rockets' chances of winning. But on the other hand, Gordon's absence will also give some young players more playing time and performance opportunities.