K.J. McDaniels was assigned to the D-League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Saturday, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports.

McDaniels was assigned to the D-League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Saturday, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Analysis:

The demotions of McDaniels and Montrezl Harrell to the D-League, along with the continued absence of rookie Sam Dekker (back), will leave the Rockets with just 11 players for Saturday's matchup with the Pelicans. Neither McDaniels nor Harrell had been regular members of the rotation of late anyway, with McDaniels failing to see the floor in the team's last four games.