"The deadline for NBA teams to make roster cuts using the amnesty provision, in which the salary of a cut player would not count against the cap, passed Friday, but center Hasheem Thabeet said he felt no sense of relief.

Thabeet could have been an amnesty cut had the Rockets needed to carve out an additional $5 million of cap space for a free-agent pickup. But when their efforts to land another big man fell through, the Rockets needed Thabeet more than additional cap room.

"I'm just being grateful and staying humble and keep working," Thabeet said. "I've just been positive, coming out here ready to work for the coaches.""