Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason is rounding into form. After missing the first six games of the season to a lower leg injury, Eason seems to be hitting his stride. In the Rockets’ win over the Memphis Grizzlies, Eason scored 25 points on 10-for-16 shooting from the floor (3-for-4 on 3s) to go along with 14 rebounds (six on the offensive glass), all in just 26 minutes of play. This was on the heels of a stellar performance against the San Antonio Spurs in which he scored 18 points on 8-for-16 shooting (2-for-5 on 3s) and grabbed 14 rebounds (four on the offensive glass) in just 26 minutes.
Through his first 12 games, Eason averaged 6.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in 18.2 minutes. On the year, Eason is averaging 8.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game on 47.1% shooting from the floor and 41.9% on 3s. Given how productive Eason has been, especially of late, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka will have to find a way to get the second year forward more minutes.
Per cleaningtheglass.com, the Rockets have outscored their opponents by 20.2 points per 100 possessions during the 265 minutes during which Eason has been on the court. This is far and away the best figure on the team. This is in the 99th percentile league-wide amongst all wings. The production is not in the least bit surprising. Eason is a monster on the glass and a physical, active defender.
The path to more minutes for Eason is a precarious one. Jabari Smith Jr., the third overall pick in the 2022 draft, has been steadily improving and seems to have a firm hold on the starting power forward spot. And the team spent $86 million on starting small forward Dillon Brooks this past summer as part of a culture overhaul; Brooks has delivered thus far and has been one of the biggest reasons the Rockets are off to such a surprising start, now sitting at 12-9 with one of the top defenses in all of basketball.
Then there’s Jalen Green, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, who has struggled mightily this season with inconsistency. On Wednesday night against Memphis, Eason closed the game in place of Green with Udoka closing with a perimeter quartet of Smith-Eason-Brooks-VanVleet. If Green continues to struggle, Udoka won’t hesitate to sit him in the fourth quarter in place of Eason, given Eason’s advantage defensively and on the glass. But it’s unlikely Eason would replace Green in the starting lineup entirely. The team can officially extend Green this upcoming summer with restricted free agency a year away from that point. Rockets management will want to get a good look at Green under Udoka before either throwing in the towel or committing big dollars long term. Even if Eason is currently the more productive player, the decision on Green is more pressing.
Brooks is 28 and signed through 2026-2027. Eason figures to be the heir apparent at the position. For now, while in need of minutes, he’ll have to wait his turn.