Rockets officially announce two signings! Bogdanovic joins on a one-year veteran minimum, Copeland signs a two-way contract

As of July 9 Beijing time, the Houston Rockets officially announced the signing of two players, guards Bogdan Bogdanovic and Qudire Copeland, to the team. Previous reports indicated that Bogdanovic inked a one-year veteran minimum, and Copeland agreed to a two-way contract. Copeland is set to play for the Rockets during the upcoming summer league.

Bogdanovic measures 1.96 meters (6'5") and weighs 102 kg (225 lbs). He was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 27th overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft. Over his career, he has played for the Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, and most recently the Los Angeles Clippers last season. Across nine NBA seasons, he has appeared in 526 regular-season games (200 starts), averaging 14.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, while making 2.4 three-pointers per contest.

Since the 2017-18 season, only four players across the entire league have managed to average at least 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 three-pointers while playing fewer than 30 minutes per game. Bogdanovic is one of them. During his tenure with the Hawks, he finished in the top six of Sixth Man of the Year voting twice, in the 2021-22 and 2023-24 seasons.

On the international stage, Bogdanovic is the all-time leading scorer for the Serbian men's national team in FIBA competitions. He led the team to a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In 2025, he was named to the EuroLeague 25th Anniversary All-Time Team.

Copeland stands 1.98 meters (6'6") and weighs 100 kg (220 lbs). After completing his senior season at North Carolina State University, he became eligible for the 2026 NBA Draft but went undrafted. He spent his first two college seasons at Syracuse University, then transferred to McNeese State University for his junior year. In the 2025-26 season, he was named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Third Team; in the 2024-25 season, he was selected to the All-Southern Conference Second Team.

In his senior season with the NC State Wolfpack, Copeland averaged 13.9 points, 6.5 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.79 steals per game, shooting 49.4% from the field, 39.7% from three-point range, and 77.5% from the free-throw line. During the 2025-26 season, only three players in NCAA Division I averaged at least 13 points, 6 assists, and 1.7 steals, and Copeland was among them.

Last season, Copeland recorded 10 or more assists in four games. On February 3, against Southern Methodist University, he dished out 16 assists without committing a turnover. This stat line of 16 assists and zero turnovers set the highest mark for a single game without a turnover by a Division I player in the past seven seasons.