Tag: Jae’Sean Tate

Rockets stats: James Harden, Christian Wood score 75 in overtime loss

Harden had 44 points and 17 assists in Portland, while Wood tallied 31 points and 13 rebounds in his debut as Houston’s starting center.

All-Star guard James Harden led the way for Houston with 44 points (55% FG) and 17 assists, while new starting center Christian Wood had a remarkable debut with 31 points (64% FG) and 13 rebounds.

Yet, because of a similarly epic showing by Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum, Portland survived Saturday night’s thriller in overtime, 128-126 (box score). It was the first game of the 2020-21 regular season for the Rockets (0-1), while the Blazers evened their record at 1-1. McCollum scored 44 and hit a career-high nine shots from 3-point range.

Harden hit two stepback treys in the final minute of overtime to put the Rockets in front, but McCollum canned a dagger 3-pointer with just over six seconds left for the final margin. Damian Lillard added 32 for the Blazers and had the assist on McCollum’s winner, as the 76 points from Portland’s backcourt narrowly edged out the 75 by Harden and Wood.

The Rockets were extremely undermanned due to absences from COVID-19 and associated contact tracing, with veterans John Wall, Eric Gordon, and DeMarcus Cousins the most notable. In all, Houston had only nine active players, one above the minimum requirement of eight to play an NBA game. But they still almost had enough to win on the road against a playoff team from last season, largely due to the two biggest names.

Rookie forward Jae’Sean Tate impressed off the bench with 13 points (56% FG) and four rebounds, and his toughness paid immediate dividends on the defensive end. The Rockets were +14 in the 37 minutes that Tate played, and -16 in the 16 minutes that he did not.

See below for a compilation of highlights. Houston returns to action Monday in Denver for its second game of the 2020-21 regular season.

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Reports: Test result by KJ Martin Jr. led to Rockets’ contact tracing losses

The Houston Rockets are reportedly without John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Jae’Sean Tate due to being in close contact with KJ Martin Jr.

An apparent positive COVID-19 test result for rookie forward KJ Martin Jr. could cause the Houston Rockets to be without several players in Wednesday night’s regular-season opener due to contact tracing.

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon, veteran guard John Wall, center DeMarcus Cousins, and rookie forward Jae’Sean Tate were deemed to be close contacts of Martin after getting haircuts together. As of Wednesday afternoon, the Rockets were doing a second round of testing on Martin to confirm the initial result.

Houston was already without reserve guard Ben McLemore due to a separate positive test result, and they could potentially be missing All-Star guard James Harden due to a reported protocol breach. The Rockets entered Wednesday with 15 healthy players on their roster, but if Harden isn’t allowed by the NBA to play, they could be without six members of their expected team (McLemore, Martin, Harden, Wall, Cousins, Tate). That would leave the Rockets with just nine available players, which would be just about the minimum requirement of eight active players.

If Martin’s test result is confirmed, the Rockets aren’t far from a point at which the opening game could be in jeopardy due to a lack of players. While both Wall and Cousins tested negative for COVID-19, per Woj. they may still be ineligible to play for several days under the league’s new safety protocols due to the potential incubation period of the virus.

As of early Wednesday afternoon, neither the team nor the league had issued a public statement on the ongoing situation. Tipoff is currently scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Central from Toyota Center.

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Report: James Harden has had practice confrontations with teammates

The Athletic is reporting that Harden has had “multiple verbal confrontations” with Houston teammates at practice on Sunday and Monday,

All-Star guard James Harden has had “multiple verbal confrontations” with his Houston Rockets teammates at practices in recent days, according to a new report by Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Harden remains with the team despite reportedly issuing a trade request in the offseason. Since Harden is under contract for at least two more years, the Rockets aren’t under any immediate pressure to grant his wish.

Here’s how Charania describes the recent practice situations:

The Athletic learned that Harden has had multiple verbal confrontations with teammates in practice on Sunday and Monday, and one confrontation included Harden throwing a basketball at a teammate on Monday.

Sources say Harden and rookie Jae’Sean Tate had a heated exchange during Monday’s practice, culminating in Harden throwing the ball in Tate’s direction. The ball did not hit Tate. Interactions like these between teammates during practice can be part of a normal, competitive environment.  Harden, however, is known by those in the organization as a laid-back and calm personality — especially as superstars go — and some around the franchise are viewing this as rising to an uncharacteristic level of frustration given his ongoing situation.

However, Charania paints a different picture of Harden on game nights, at least during two preseason games last week:

Sources have described Harden as engaged and encouraging with teammates on game nights, discussing strategy and how to improve on the floor.

In his Monday media session, Harden said the Rockets have “been going pretty hard” at training camp scrimmages in recent days.

It’s worth noting that tense practice moments aren’t that unusual in the NBA. For example, with the Chicago Bulls in the 1995-96 season, Michael Jordan infamously punched teammate Steve Kerr in the face during training camp. But as superstars go, Harden has often been of the more laid-back variety, and it’s fair to wonder if the recent confrontations reflect his frustration with having an ungranted trade request.

In any event, that side of Harden hasn’t been seen during games, and the Rockets hope that continues when the 2020-21 regular season opens on Wednesday at Toyota Center. Tip-off between Houston and Oklahoma City is set for 7:00 p.m. Central, with the game shown regionally on AT&T SportsNet Southwest and nationally on NBA League Pass.

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Rockets reaction: Harden debuts, Tate impresses in win over Spurs

James Harden and PJ Tucker each played for the first time this season, while rookie forward Jae’Sean Tate earned plenty of praise.

All-Star guard James Harden and veteran forward PJ Tucker each made their 2020-21 debuts as the Houston Rockets defeated the San Antonio Spurs in Tuesday’s home exhibition game, 112-98 (box score).

Harden scored 12 points and dished out four assists in 21 minutes. He was a bit rusty with a 3-of-10 shooting performance, but he had two steals and was actively engaged with teammates — showing no signs of any awkwardness after reportedly seeking a trade this offseason.

John Wall and Ben McLemore led the Rockets with 15 points each, while rookie forward Jae’Sean Tate impressed off the bench with 11 points (5-of-7 shooting) and seven rebounds in just 18 minutes.

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Unfortunately, second-year guard Chris Clemons left early with what appeared to be a severe injury (reportedly a torn Achilles).

Here’s a look at the key takeaways and storylines from Tuesday at Toyota Center, complete with postgame quotes and analysis. For a second straight day, Harden was not made available to reporters.

Stephen Silas says Jae’Sean Tate already stands out for Rockets

“The one guy that stands out the most that people don’t really know of and doesn’t get the notoriety is Jae’Sean Tate,” Silas said.

When asked about young players at Houston Rockets training camp for the 2020-21 NBA season, head coach Stephen Silas said Tuesday that there was one clear standout after the team’s first three practices.

“The one guy that stands out the most that people don’t really know of and doesn’t get the notoriety is Jae’Sean Tate, who played overseas in Australia and has really been a pleasant surprise,” Silas said.

“He has good size, he can play multiple positions on both ends of the floor. He’s an exciting player that I think everybody will enjoy watching.”

Silas said rookie guards Brodric Thomas and Mason Jones had also shown encouraging signs early in training camp at Toyota Center.

Now 25 years old, Tate played for the Sydney Kings last season in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL), where the team’s head coach was new Houston assistant Will Weaver. Tate signed a free agent contract with the Rockets in the 2020 offseason for up to three years.

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Tate played his college basketball at Ohio State (2014-2018) before joining the Antwerp Giants (2018-19) in Belgium and then Sydney (2019-20) last season. While he’s only 6-foot-4, he weighs 230 pounds and is strong and versatile enough to play on the front line.

Here’s how John Hollinger of The Athletic described Tate as part of a recent scouting report on free agents at small forward:

The Ohio State product had a massive year in Australia after a solid 2019 Summer League; as such, he’s quickly become one of the most highly-regarded players based outside the U.S. … Tate is listed at just 6-4 but has a strong frame and plus athleticism; he is comfortable battling in the paint and actually played power forward in Australia. His 3-point shot (40.5 percent in Australia last year, just 27.7 percent in college) will be the swing skill for him.

Tate’s rugged strength and versatility could fit well in Houston, where 6-foot-5 forward P.J. Tucker has been valued immensely in recent years.

Friday’s preseason opener in Chicago will represent the first game opportunity for prospects like Tate, Brown, and Thomas to make a further impression. With superstar guard James Harden likely unavailable after a delayed start to training camp and the league’s COVID-19 entry protocols, that could lead to additional minutes for younger players.

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Contract tidbits for Sterling Brown, Jae’Sean Tate, and Bruno Caboclo

Brown has a straight-forward minimum contract with the Rockets, while the terms for Tate and Caboclo are a bit more complex.

Courtesy of NBA salary cap experts Bobby Marks (ESPN) and Keith Smith (Yahoo Sports), we now have new details regarding three recent contracts given out by the Houston Rockets in the 2020 offseason.

Per Smith, the contract to guard Sterling Brown — formerly of the Milwaukee Bucks — is very straight-forward. It’s for one season at the minimum salary, and it is already fully guaranteed.

The new contracts for Jae’Sean Tate and Bruno Caboclo, however, are a bit more complicated. Per Marks, both Tate and Caboclo only have $50,000 guaranteed, which gives the team flexibility if they decide to go in a different direction with one of those roster spots at a later date.

Caboclo’s deal becomes fully guaranteed if he is not waived by the first game of the NBA’s 2020-21 regular season (Dec. 22), while Tate’s contract guarantee will increase to $500,000 at that time.

Caboclo’s contract is for two seasons in total, while Tate’s deal is for three. However, all of the future years are non-guaranteed. This gives the team a number of potential paths moving forward, depending on the level of play shown by both players and also the state of the overall roster.

Led by new GM Rafael Stone, Houston used a portion of its mid-level exception (MLE) to give Tate the three-year deal, which is not allowed under minimum exception contracts. There are several reasons for this.

One potential reason is that Tate’s first-year salary is $1,445,697 — typically the minimum for a player with one year of NBA experience — instead of the standard NBA rookie minimum of $898,310. In other words, it’s a higher salary for the rising 25-year-old prospect.

However, another plausible reason is that the three-year deal makes it harder for other NBA teams to claim Tate on waivers, should the Rockets decide they need his roster spot to acquire someone else.

“By giving Tate three years, it makes him ineligible to be claimed by a team using the minimum exception if Houston waives him,” Smith writes. “By giving Tate just $50,000 guaranteed, it makes him eligible for a two-way [contract] with Houston, if he is waived.”

With Houston subject to a hard salary cap after the sign-and-trade acquisition of Christian Wood, the Rockets are already close to their maximum team payroll. However, should a player they like (Glenn Robinson III?) come available at a later time, the unique terms in Tate and Caboclo’s deals could give the team additional roster flexibility.

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Rockets signing forward Jae’Sean Tate to three-year contract

The 6-foot-4 forward, expected to be a rugged option in the frontcourt, had played in Australia for new Rockets assistant Will Weaver.

It had been suggested last week, and now the Houston Rockets do have a contract agreement with free agent forward Jae’Sean Tate.

Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, it’s a three-year pact for Tate and the Rockets. Financial terms were not immediately known, but the third year suggests that Houston used at least a portion of its mid-level exception (or biannual exception), since a standard minimum exception deal is not allowed to be of three years in length.

Now 25 years old, Tate played for the Sydney Kings last season in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL), where the head coach was new Houston assistant Will Weaver. Fellow free agent newcomers Christian Wood and Sterling Brown are also 25, which should give Houston — which had one of the NBA’s oldest rosters last season — a much-needed infusion of youth heading into the 2020-21 season.

Tate played his college basketball at Ohio State (2014-2018) before joining the Antwerp Giants (2018-19) in Belgium and then Sydney (2019-20) last season. While he’s only 6-foot-4, he weighs 230 pounds and is strong and versatile enough to play on the front line.

Here’s how John Hollinger of The Athletic described Tate as part of a recent scouting report on free agents at small forward:

The Ohio State product had a massive year in Australia after a solid 2019 Summer League; as such, he’s quickly become one of the most highly-regarded players based outside the U.S. … Tate is listed at just 6-4 but has a strong frame and plus athleticism; he is comfortable battling in the paint and actually played power forward in Australia. His 3-point shot (40.5 percent in Australia last year, just 27.7 percent in college) will be the swing skill for him.

Rockets expected to sign forward Jae’Sean Tate in free agency

A rugged 6-foot-4 forward, Tate played college hoops at Ohio State and played for new Rockets assistant coach Will Weaver in Sydney.

The Rockets are expected to sign forward Jae’Sean Tate once free agency opens on Friday, per Marc Stein of The New York Times. Tate played for the Sydney Kings last season in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL), where the head coach was new Houston assistant Will Weaver.

“The rugged swingman Jae’Sean Tate, who played at Ohio State, is expected to make the move from Sydney to Houston after free agency begins Friday,” Stein writes in Tuesday’s newsletter.

Now 25 years old, Tate played his college basketball at Ohio State (2014-2018) before joining the Antwerp Giants (2018-19) in Belgium and then Sydney (2019-20) last season. While he’s only 6-foot-4, he’s strong and versatile enough to play as both a guard and forward.

Here’s how John Hollinger of The Athletic describes Tate, whom he believes could require a contract larger than the NBA’s minimum salary:

The Ohio State product had a massive year in Australia after a solid 2019 Summer League and is just 24 years old; as such, he’s quickly become one of the most highly-regarded players based outside the U.S. Notably he hasn’t re-signed in Australia for 2020-21, with signs pointing toward him signing an NBA contract, instead.

Tate is listed at just 6-4 but has a strong frame and plus athleticism; he is comfortable battling in the paint and actually played power forward in Australia. His 3-point shot (40.5 percent in Australia last year, just 27.7 percent in college) will be the swing skill for him.

Tate’s strength and versatility could be a logical fit in Houston, who have valued 6-foot-5 forward P.J. Tucker immensely in recent seasons. Tate could also help fill frontcourt minutes that previously went to Robert Covington, who is expected to be traded to Portland.

The terms of Tate’s impending contract with the Rockets are not yet clear. The NBA’s 2020 free agency opens at 5:00 p.m. Central on Friday.

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Rockets reportedly adding Will Weaver to new coaching staff

After coaching the Sydney Kings in Australia, Weaver was a finalist for multiple NBA head coaching vacancies this offseason.

The Rockets are adding Will Weaver to the staff of assistants for new head coach Stephen Silas, per Marc Stein of The New York Times.

Weaver, who most recently coached the Sydney Kings in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL), was a finalist for the lead job in Oklahoma City (which ultimately went to Mark Daigneault). Shortly after the Thunder made their hire, Weaver committed to Houston.

Weaver’s Kings registered the NBL’s best overall record last season, along with the league’s top defensive rating.

Weaver coached Jae’Sean Tate in Sydney, and the Rockets are believed to have “serious interest” in signing Tate as a free agent this offseason. The presence of his former head coach probably can’t hurt those chances.

Here’s how ESPN’s Olgun Uluc describes Weaver’s unique bio:

Weaver was strongly considered for the New Orleans Pelicans’ head-coaching vacancy before Stan Van Gundy signed a four-year deal to lead the team.

Weaver, 36, was the runner-up for the National Basketball League’s Coach of the Year award after leading the Kings to a league-best 20-8 record. The Kings would end up withdrawing from the 2020 Grand Final series against the Perth Wildcats in March amid concerns about COVID-19.