Rockets Send JD Davison, Isaiah Crawford Down to G-League's Vipers

Shouldn't be a surprise.

Dec 11, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard JD Davison (4) looks on during practice before the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets' need for a point guard could very well have an internal solution. JD Davison could be the substitute and fill-in.

At least until Fred VanVleet returns from his torn ACL, which he sustained in September in the team's minicamp in the Bahamas. Well, if he returns, which isn't so much of a guarantee.

The fastest we've seen an athlete return from such an injury was then Minnesota Vikings star running back and NFL legend and future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson. And it took Peterson nine months to come back.

VanVleet would be seeking to do so within six months.

Those additional three months make a big difference.

As it pertains to Davison, the Rockets have him signed to a two-way deal, meaning he can only be activated for 50 games. Unless the team intends to give him a traditional contract.

He's coming up on that 50-game threshold. All told, he's already been activated for 41 games. He's even been in the closing lineup at times.

However, his time at the NBA level is limited, based on how he's been used thus far by the Rockets in 2025-26. Unsurprisingly, the team sent him back down to the G-League on Monday.

All told, Davison has averaged 9.8 points, five assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals per 36 minutes this season.

The team will have an interesting proposition on their hands, as it pertains to managing him for the rest of the way.

It seems inevitable that he'll be getting an NBA deal, even if it's a non-guaranteed one.

Davison wasn't the only player sent back down by the Rockets, however. Isaiah Crawford was also relegated to the G-League.

Crawford is in a much different situation, however, as he was just called up three games ago, ahead of the Rockets' back-to-back games against the Philadelphia 76ers and Detroit Pistons.

(Although the Rockets didn't give him any minutes in either contest).

Crawford has also been activated for seven games himself, at the NBA level.

In the G-League, while playing for the Vipers this season, Crawford has averaged 18 points, six rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.3 steals, 51.9 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from three (on 6.7 attempts).