​ The Houston Rockets have signed Rafael Castro to a two-way contract. In doing so, the team waived Tristen Newton to open up the final roster spot. Although Newton had an impressive collegiate career, playing a crucial role in helping UCONN win back-to-back NCAA National Championships, this is a smart move by the Houston management.With newfound depth at the guard position, Newton was very unlikely to see a significant amount of minutes in the NBA. At 25 years old, his room for growth as a two-way contract player is diminished.Castro’s addition to the roster indicates that the management has shifted its focus to prioritizing the team’s front court depth. Castro provides an exciting route to do so. Castro played his redshirt senior collegiate year at George Washington University, where he averaged 15.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. His shooting was highly efficient, as he shot 62.7% from the floor. Castro played an instrumental role on the defensive end, averaging 1.72 blocks and 1.76 steals per game. His elite defense was acclaimed by being a Lefty Driesell National Defensive Player of the Year Finalist. Despite having a strong finish to his collegiate career, the 23-year-old big man went undrafted in the 2026 Draft. Castro was subsequently given a chance to play for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA California Classic and the Las Vegas Summer League.Castro showed flashes of his elite defense along with his physical interior play. The Rockets were impressed by his aggressive rebounding, efficient finishing in the paint, and defensive takeaways. However, his overall numbers were underwhelming at 2.0 points and 2.4 rebounds per 13.3 minutes. With the Bucks having a roster logjam, Milwaukee’s management did not finalize his contract.This allowed Houston to swoop in and sign him as an unrestricted free agent. Castro will be joining Sean Pedulla and Quadir Copeland as a two-way player. He will be filling the vacancy of not having a developmental center on the roster. Standing at six feet and eleven inches tall, with a wingspan of over seven feet, he has the physical assets to play in the NBA. Castro recorded a 36.5-inch vertical leap in the 2026 NBA Draft Combine, proving his athleticism and potential as a center.Houston has been quietly having a solid offseason, and Castro is the newest addition to the team’s young core. In order to earn minutes in the NBA, he will have to perform at a high level with the Rockets’ G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. What can we realistically expect out of him?