Another DeSoto County athlete this week opened a door to make a splash in the professional level. Now it will be up to him to decide just how big a splash it will be.
Following the conclusion of the NBA draft this week, the Houston Rockets signed former Olive Branch star Cameron Matthews of Mississippi State to a contract.
The deal Matthews signed is called an Exhibit 10 contract, and while the contract doesn’t mean Matthews will immediately hit the Toyota Center floor, it does provide an opportunity by now being in the organization.
An Exhibit 10 contract is for one year at the league minimum salary and typically non-guaranteed. Players under this contract can be brought into training camp and the preseason without it counting against the team roster or salary cap. If the player is waived and then is signed by its G League team, the player can then earn a bonus by signing and the contract can become a two-way deal, if signed before the start of the regular season.
The G League affiliate for the Houston Rockets is the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, so there would be the possibility of Matthews playing against the Memphis Hustle and at the Landers Center if he gets to the G League level.
Teams are limited to a maximum of six Exhibit 10 contracts on their roster at any given time. These contracts cannot be extended or renegotiated.
For now, it appears the Rockets will have Matthews playing summer league basketball as he competes for a two-way contract.
With the Bulldogs last season, Matthews averaged 7.1 points, and grabbed 6.7 rebounds in 34 games during the 2024-25 season. Experts say his notoriety as a defensive player enhances his growth chances toward a possible spot on an NBA roster in the future.
Two-time SEC All-Defensive Team selection Cam Mathews (Mississippi State) will join the Houston Rockets and compete for a two-way spot in training camp, league sources told @hoopshype. pic.twitter.com/iE8MEU3PaA
