Tag: Tari Eason

Was Cam Whitmore an All-Rookie second-team snub? Rockets teammate Tari Eason thinks so

Rockets forward Tari Eason: “Go and watch film. Tell me if you can definitively say there are nine rookies better than Cam Whitmore.”

Houston Rockets rookie Amen Thompson, who was drafted in the 2023 first round, was named Monday to the NBA’s All-Rookie second team for the 2023-24 regular season. Combined, the first- and second-team honors go to 10 players from the previous year’s draft class.

Fellow rookie Cam Whitmore, also a 2023 first-round draftee of the Rockets, received votes but not enough to make the team.

Someone who disagreed with that result is second-year forward Tari Eason, who was a second-team member in his rookie season one year ago.

After Monday’s announcement, Eason posted this message to X (complete with thinking and face-palm emojis):

Go and watch film. Tell me if you can definitively say there are nine rookies better than Cam Whitmore.

Much of this debate comes down to voting criteria. Whitmore averaged 12.3 points (45.4% FG, 35.9% on 3-pointers) and 3.8 rebounds in only 18.7 minutes for the Rockets. On a per-minute basis, those numbers make him one of the most dynamic scorers of his class.

However, Whitmore only played in 47 NBA games. While very athletic, he entered the league at 19 years old and was viewed by many around the league as being a raw talent. Thus, he spent much of his first two months as a professional with Houston’s G League developmental affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers.

When the calendar turned to 2024, Whitmore made himself a rotation fixture, and there’s a strong case to be made that he’s among the top-10 players from his draft class when it comes to potential and upside. Thus, by film and deciding who the currently “better” player is — seemingly Eason’s criteria — it’s hard to argue against it.

But, some voters likely made their selections based on total production to date, including the sheer volume of rookie-year output.

There are cases to be made both ways, but Whitmore’s teammate clearly has his back, and perhaps that’s the most important thing.

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Locked on Rockets: Reviewing Tari Eason’s elite but shortened sophomore season

Today’s Locked on Rockets podcast breaks down an elite season — but also a shortened one — for second-year forward Tari Eason.

Second-year forward Tari Eason was brilliant when he played for the 2023-24 Rockets. On a per-game basis, his numbers grew in average points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks relative to his rookie season, and he shot better from the field and from 3-point range.

Overall, Houston was an astonishing +10.7 per 100 possessions with Eason on the floor. Better yet, he showed much more versatility than his rookie season — as evidenced by head coach Ime Udoka comparing Eason to a “young Kawhi Leonard” and occasionally using him to finish games in place of Jalen Green at shooting guard.

In short, Eason flashed elite potential as a defender and rebounder while also making clear progress on the offensive end.

Yet, after playing in all 82 regular-season games as a rookie, Eason only played in 22 as a sophomore due to ongoing issues with his leg that traced back to a stress reaction suffered in the preseason.

In a newly released podcast, credentialed media members Jackson Gatlin and Ben DuBose review the highs and lows of Eason’s season, including an explanation of their “incomplete” grade.

Wednesday’s “Locked on Rockets” episode can be listened to via Apple, Google, Spotify, Castbox and virtually all major podcast distributors. It can also be watched on YouTube (see embed below).

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Rockets view Tari Eason, Steven Adams as marquee roster additions for 2024-25

“We’re ecstatic we have Steven Adams and think he’ll add a real element to us,” Rockets GM Rafael Stone says. “Tari [Eason] is an enormous part of what we do.”

Led by a top-10 defense, the resurgent Houston Rockets (41-41) had the biggest year-on-year increase in wins of any NBA team during the recently completed 2023-24 regular season.

And yet, two potentially crucial defensive pieces on the team’s 2023-24 roster barely made any direct contributions to that success.

Second-year forward Tari Eason was limited by injuries to just 22 games, while veteran center Steven Adams — acquired by trade in February — wasn’t able to play at all due to injury.

Both are expected to be fully healthy by the time 2024-25 training camp opens in late September or early October. So, with that in mind, is Houston’s improved defense about to get even better?

In Tuesday’s season-ending press conference, general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka shared their optimism about adding Eason and Adams to the core of a .500 team.

Udoka’s comments:

You add Tari and Steven to the mix and another year [and] offseason under our belt to hit the ground running, there should be quite a bit of improvement just with that.

Stone’s perspective:

We’re looking forward to get Tari back. He’s an enormous part of what we do. We’re ecstatic we have Steven Adams and think he’ll add a real element to us.

The guys we have in the locker room today, we’re excited to bring back. We’ll look at things but again, I don’t view our roster as we’re missing X, we need to go find it. It’s not like we have a gaping hole.

Adams should slide in as a defensive complement to incumbent starter Alperen Sengun at center. Meanwhile, Eason will join a forward mix that includes starters Jabari Smith Jr. and Dillon Brooks.

Complete video of the press conference is available below.

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As banter persists, Warriors veteran Draymond Green shows respect to Houston’s Tari Eason

Draymond Green on Rockets forward Tari Eason: “I know what type of player he is. He welcomes the challenge. He welcomes the fight.”

HOUSTON — Warriors forward Draymond Green is a fierce competitor on and off the court, and he loves nothing more than good, old-fashioned trash talk from his opponents. It seems to fuel Golden State’s veteran leader — and the more respect he has for someone, the more he wants to leave a lasting impression that his team will be the best they ever face on a basketball court.

That is why it is no surprise Green and his teammates took great pride in defeating the Rockets, 133-110, at Toyota Center. Thursday’s victory all but eliminated Houston from 2024 postseason contention.

Golden State entered with extra motivation after recent remarks made by the Rockets’ second-year forward, Tari Eason, on Instagram.

“Warriors, come out and play,” Eason said after Houston’s March 27 win in Oklahoma City, which pulled them within a game of Golden State for the final Western Conference play-in tournament spot

Green then used his podcast to respond to Eason, whom he admires as a player, to say that he was putting his teammates in a terrible position — knowing they had one game left to play versus the Warriors. Eason could not play due to a season-ending leg injury.

“Really big-time win for us, especially with the Rockets coming out to play,” Green jokingly said after the Warriors beat Dallas on Tuesday.

“They have lost a couple in a row, you know, and (are) three games behind with seven games left, and you’re losing the tiebreaker,” Green added. “So, four games behind in a sense with seven to go. If my math serves me correctly, (Thursday) will be an opportunity to end their season and their playoff hopes.”

Golden State (42-34) has won six consecutive games as they pull away from the Rockets (38-38), who have lost three straight.

After the game, several Golden State players were heard screaming the phrase Eason referenced from the 1979 movie “The Warriors” as they made their way to the locker room. Guard Steph Curry was heard repeating Eason’s Instagram post from the bench, tapping three water bottles together to recreate the sound from the movie.

Green, who has won four NBA titles with the Warriors, thought the exchange between the two teams was good, healthy banter.

“I love it, I love it,” Green responded when asked about Eason’s comments. “Like I said on my podcast, Tari, if you’re going to say that, you got to play, though. You can’t come out and say that and not play. But I know what type of player he is. He welcomes all that. He welcomes the challenge. He welcomes the fight.”

“I saw him play last year and fell in love with his game because he does the dirty work,” Green said. “That team is better when he is out there. I love the competitive fire. I love the (expletive) talking. That is always fun. Hopefully, next year, he’ll say the same thing, and we won’t be fighting for the play-in; we’ll be fighting for seeding up top.”

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NBA Twitter trolls Tari Eason, Rockets: ‘He learned his lesson, who’s next?’

Here’s how NBA Twitter reacted to the Warriors trolling the Rockets after their win.

The Golden State Warriors blew out the Rockets in Houston 133-110 and ended their season after they most likely eliminated them from the play-in contention.

Tari Eason infamously was the star of the night, as he wore a shirt that said, “Warriors come out to play”.

Here’s how NBA fans reacted to it after the Warriors win.

Klay Thompson takes issue with Tari Eason’s ‘come out to play’ remarks

“That’s pretty lame, especially if you’re not even playing,” Klay Thompson said of Houston’s Tari Eason after his recent comments regarding the Warriors.

Shortly after the Houston Rockets secured their 10th straight win on Wednesday, March 27 in Oklahoma City, injured forward Tari Eason took to Instagram and posted a video of himself.

As Eason proclaimed: “Warriors, come out to play!” (It’s a line that originated in a 1979 film, appropriately titled The Warriors.)

At the time, Houston was just one game back of Golden State in the race for the final Western Conference play-in tournament berth.

Since then, however, Golden State (42-34) is 4-0, and the Rockets (38-38) are 1-3. That includes Thursday’s blowout by the Warriors in Houston, which pushed the home team to the brink of postseason elimination with only six games left to play in the 2023-24 season.

Eason watched from the sidelines in a T-shirt with text of “Warriors, come out to play” across the front.

It looked like harmless fun, but Golden State’s players may have read more into it. Multiple players yelled Eason’s line heading into the visitor’s locker room, according to reporters at Toyota Center, and veteran guard Klay Thompson said this postgame:

That’s pretty lame, especially if you’re not even playing. It’s one thing if you’re playing and you’re out there competing and you can back it up. But if you’re just going to be trolling from the sidelines… like, bro, what are we doing?

With Eason (left tibia surgery) expected to return healthy for the 2024-25 season in the fall, it could provide yet another storyline for whenever the Warriors and Rockets resume their rivalry.

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After leg surgery, Rockets announce four-month recovery timeline for Tari Eason

To accelerate healing, Tari Eason’s surgery involved excising and bone grafting the lesion while inserting an intramedullary rod into his tibia. He should be fully recovered after four months.

After undergoing leg surgery this week, young Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason is expected to be fully cleared for all basketball activities in advance of the 2024-25 NBA season.

His expected clearance will come in July.

The team’s announcement includes a detailed explanation:

Today, the Rockets announced that forward Tari Eason underwent successful surgery to treat a benign growth in his lower leg. The surgery, which was performed by Dr. Ned Amendola at Duke University, involved excising and bone grafting the lesion along with inserting an intramedullary rod in his tibia to accelerate healing.

The issue became symptomatic for Eason after sustaining a blow to his leg during a preseason game vs. Indiana on Oct. 10, 2023. It was not at risk of causing a fracture to his tibia and presented a possibility of healing with non-surgical treatment, which would have allowed Eason to return to play this season.

Following a slow healing process, the decision was made to move forward with the surgery in order for Eason to be ready for the start of next season. He is expected to make a full recovery in approximately four months.

A versatile player, Eason finished his second season (2023-24) averaging 9.8 points, 7 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 21.8 minutes per game. According to the team, no other player in NBA history has averaged at least 9 points, 7 rebounds and 1.40 steals in a season while playing fewer than 25 minutes. Eason appeared in all 82 games as a rookie in 2022-23.

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Takeaways: Rockets burn Suns as Jalen Green (34 points) stays hot

Jalen Green had another 34-point game in Phoenix, and in the rematch, he had enough support from teammates for Houston to win versus Kevin Durant and the Suns.

In the finale of two straight games in Phoenix between the Rockets and Suns, Jalen Green kept his momentum going on Saturday night.

And in contrast to Thursday’s close loss, Green had ample support from teammates in Saturday’s 118-109 victory (box score).

Key individual statistics in Houston’s win included:

  • Jalen Green: 34 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists; 12-of-23 shooting (52.2%), 6-of-12 on 3-pointers (50.0%)
  • Fred VanVleet: 24 points, 11 assists, 5 rebounds; 8-of-14 shooting (53.3%), 6-of-11 on 3-pointers (54.5%)
  • Alperen Sengun: 21 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals; 9-of-21 shooting (42.9%)

As a team, the Rockets made 16-of-42 shots from 3-point range (38.1%), which outpaced the 9-of-29 night (31.0%) from Phoenix. For Green, it was his second straight game to score 34 points.

Houston (26-34) won for just the second time in six games out of the All-Star break, while Phoenix (35-25) saw its nine-game home winning streak end. Perennial All-Star Kevin Durant led the hosts with 30 points and 9 rebounds while shooting 12-of-19 overall (63.2%).

Unfortunately for the Rockets, Saturday’s news wasn’t all positive, as second-year forward Tari Eason was officially ruled out for the remainder of the 2023-24 season with a lower leg injury.

Here’s our look at Saturday’s highlights and postgame interviews, along with reaction by media members and fans. Next up for the Rockets is a home back-to-back versus the Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers, with Tuesday’s tip versus San Antonio at 7:00 p.m. Central.

Tari Eason to undergo leg surgery, miss remainder of season for Rockets

Reports on Tari Eason: “There was a benign growth on his lower leg bone that Coach says was pre-existing, but flared up due to getting hit. Out for four months.”

As suspected for some time, second-year forward Tari Eason will not play again for the Houston Rockets in the 2023-24 NBA season.

Eason, 22, averaged 9.8 points (46.6% FG, 36% on 3-pointers), 7 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 21.8 minutes across 22 games this season.

Per Vanessa Richardson, courtside reporter for TV partner Space City Home Network, Eason will have surgery Monday in an attempt to resolve the issue before the 2024-25 season. Richardson cited comments by head coach Ime Udoka after Saturday’s win in Phoenix.

“There was a benign growth on his lower leg bone that Coach (Udoka) says was pre-existing, but flared up due to getting hit,” Richardson tweeted. “Out for four months.”

After being drafted at No. 17 in the 2022 first round, Eason was one of a select few NBA players who played in all 82 regular-season games last year. He earned All-Rookie second-team honors.

When healthy, Eason has been one of the most valuable players for the 2023-24 Rockets, and he delivers clear value on both offense and defense. But he hasn’t been healthy nearly enough this season, owing to a stress reaction in his left leg suffered in the preseason.

Houston is 12-10 when Eason plays, and, after Saturday, 14-24 when he does not. Eason returned from the initial lower leg injury on Nov. 8 and played in most games from that point until Jan. 1. He hasn’t played since.

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As leg injury lingers, Rockets not ruling out possibility of Tari Eason being lost for season

Ime Udoka on injured Rockets forward Tari Eason: “During the ramp-up process, he started to feel some of the same pain, even with some significant time off.”

When healthy, second-year forward Tari Eason has been one of the most valuable players for the 2023-24 Rockets — a disruptive force at both ends. But he hasn’t been healthy nearly enough, owing to a stress reaction in his lower left leg suffered in the preseason.

Entering Thursday, Houston is 12-10 when Eason plays, and 12-20 when he does not. Eason returned from the initial leg injury on Nov. 8 and played in most games from that point until Jan. 1, but he hasn’t played in any games over the six-plus weeks since.

Prior to Thursday’s game in New Orleans, head coach Ime Udoka was asked about the possibility of Eason being lost for the remainder of the season, and he didn’t rule out the possibility. With under two months remaining until Houston’s regular season concludes on April 14, the calendar is becoming an obstacle as it pertains to the timing of any return-to-play scenario and the associated ramping-up period.

Among Udoka’s comments (via Dave Hardisty of ClutchFans):

It’s strictly based off of the results of the latest imaging that he’s gotten and the pain tolerance. He played through some pain earlier (in the season). He played well, but as he continued to play in games adding up, it started to bother him a little more, so we shut it down.

During the ramp-up process (attempted during Houston’s Feb 4-10 road trip), he started to feel some of the same pain, even with some significant time off. So that’s why he’s getting it looked at now, and based on pending results, we’ll determine what we’re going to do moving forward.

Eason, 22, averaged 9.8 points (46.6% FG, 36% on 3-pointers), 7 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 21.8 minutes per game this season.

After being drafted at No. 17 overall in the 2022 first round, Eason was one of a select few NBA players who played in all 82 regular-season games last year. He earned All-Rookie second team honors.

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