Rockets Sign Cousin and Recall Thabeet

showAd700x50();
Monday April 11, 2011 11:57 AM

Rockets Sign Cousin, Recall Thabeet

DeMarre Carroll Waived and Cousin Assigned to D-League Vipers

Rockets.com staff

Your browser does not support iframes.

HOUSTON - Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced Monday that the team has signed center Marcus Cousin to a non-guaranteed contract and assigned him to Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner Rio Grande Valley. The Rockets have also recalled Hasheem Thabeet from the Vipers and have waived DeMarre Carroll.

Cousin (6-11, 255, Houston) earns his second GATORADE Call-Up of the season by signing with the Rockets. His first GATORADE Call-Up came when he signed a 10-day contract with Utah on Mar. 9, averaging 1.0 points and 0.8 rebounds in four games with the Jazz. A 2011 D-League All-Star selection, Cousin averaged 14.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.16 blocks while shooting .533 from the field in 38 games (38 starts) for the Austin Toros.

Cousin also appeared in five games with the San Antonio Spurs in the 2010 preseason, averaging 5.2 points and 4.2 rebounds. He spent the 2009 NBA Summer League with the Rockets. After transferring from Seton Hall, Cousin played two seasons at the University of Houston, averaging 10.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks as a senior in 2008-09.

Thabeet (7-3, 263, Connecticut) was assigned to Rio Grande Valley on Mar. 21, averaging 9.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.4 blocks with two double-doubles in seven games (six starts) including the playoffs with the Vipers. Acquired by Houston from Memphis on Feb. 24, Thabeet has played in two games with the Rockets since being acquired from the Grizzlies. He averaged 1.2 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.33 blocks in 45 games with Memphis this season and made his Rockets debut vs. New Jersey (2/26/11). Selected by the Grizzlies with the second overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, Thabeet stands as the first Tanzanian-born player to be drafted by and play for an NBA team.

Carroll (6-8, 212, Missouri), who was acquired by Houston from Memphis on Feb. 24, has played in four games with the Rockets. He also averaged 1.4 points and 1.1 rebounds in seven games with the Grizzlies this season.

Got a question for Rockets.com? Send it to Jason Friedman. And for up to the second news and injury updates follow the Rockets and Jason on Twitter.