Former Rockets center Boban Marjanovic hopes to continue NBA career

Posted by author August 27, 2024 NBA

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Veteran center Boban Marjanovic is no longer under contract with the Rockets, but he’s making clear that he hopes to continue his NBA career somewhere.

When we last saw Boban Marjanovic, the jovial Rockets center was intentionally missing free throws in Houston’s 2023-24 regular-season finale so that fans in Los Angeles could win a free chicken promotion. (The game had no playoff implications for either side.)

Since then, the 36-year-old’s contract with the Rockets has expired, and it seems quite doubtful that he’ll be back for the 2024-25 campaign. With Steven Adams returning from injury, Houston now has three players (Adams, Alperen Sengun, and Jock Landale) who can only function at center, and general manager Rafael Stone is unlikely to roster a fourth center with no positional versatility.

But the 7-foot-4 big man with soft touch around the basket can still score effectively and efficiently in the low post. That’s why, in a new interview with Meridian Sport (and translated by Eurohoops.net), Marjanovic told reporters in his native Serbia that he’s hoping to extend his NBA career.

Marjanovic said, per the translation:

Every time you make plans, it doesn’t work out. Plans always change. Here, I first wanted to come by plane, but we arrived by car. I have no plans. I enjoy every segment of life. I’m waiting for the NBA, but if it doesn’t happen, there is a lot on paper going on. But let’s move on.

Marjanovic was also widely viewed as a positive locker-room influence with the Rockets, which might make him attractive to other rebuilding clubs.

As things stand, in Houston, the Rockets are no longer in the true rebuilding phase after a 41-41 season. With a 19-win jump relative to the previous year, the Rockets had the NBA’s biggest annual wins increase of any team. In 2024-25, Houston’s goal is to win at least a few more games and return to postseason play for the first time since the 2019-20 season.

Thus, for reasons related to both the depth chart at center and the phase of rebuilding, Houston is no longer viewed as a fit for Marjanovic. However, it’s possible that circumstances could be different elsewhere.

Over nine NBA seasons to date, Marjanovic has averaged 5.5 points (57.8% FG) and 3.6 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per game. His tremendous size and lack of foot speed often makes him a defensive liability, but depending on the matchup, it can be offset by his offensive prowess.

Marjanovic played with the Rockets during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.

More: Boban takes over late in Rockets’ milestone win at Clippers, gives fans free chicken