Tag: Tari Eason

Rockets swap: Jalen Green out, Tari Eason in for NBA’s Rising Stars event

Jalen Green (left groin strain) is out of Friday’s NBA Rising Stars tournament at All-Star weekend, but #Rockets rookie Tari Eason is now in.

Jalen Green’s groin strain helped open an opportunity for another Houston Rockets prospect. Rookie Tari Eason is joining Friday’s NBA Rising Stars tournament at All-Star weekend.

The Rising Stars event takes place Friday night, less than 48 hours after Green suffered the injury in Oklahoma City. While the Rockets have yet to issue a projected timetable for Green, who is undergoing an MRI on Thursday, returning from a soft tissue injury within two days to participate in an exhibition was never realistic.

That created an opportunity for Eason, a 21-year-old from LSU who was drafted by Houston at No. 17 overall in the 2022 first round. The 6-foot-8 forward is averaging 8.7 points (44.4% FG, 34.5% on 3-pointers) and 5.5 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game, and he’s also one of Houston’s best and most versatile defensive players.

Eason joins two other Rockets in the tournament: fellow rookie Jabari Smith Jr. and second-year center Alperen Sengun. The four-team contest, which starts at 8 p.m. Central on Friday night, will be played at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City and televised nationally on TNT.

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Player salaries, payroll for Houston Rockets after 2023 trade deadline

Including moves at February’s trade deadline, here’s a look at Houston’s active salaries and dead money entering a critical 2023 offseason. #Rockets

For the young and rebuilding Houston Rockets, their roster to finish the 2022-23 season is all about flexibility.

Much of the roster is comprised of highly touted draft prospects from recent years such as Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun. Because these players are on their initial NBA contracts, their annual salaries are relatively inexpensive by league standards.

Houston does have some veterans, but maintaining its salary cap space of roughly $60 million for a critical 2023 offseason was a priority in selecting who those veterans are.

For example, of the three veterans acquired and initially retained at the 2023 trade deadline — Danny Green, Justin Holiday and Frank Kaminsky — none has any guaranteed money owed beyond this season. Thus, for general manager Rafael Stone, their acquisition preserved the balance sheet as it’s been carefully set up over the years.

Here is Houston’s roster as the league year winds down. This list is sorted in ascending order from least to most, financially, during the 2022-23 season, according to HoopsHype salary data. Any potential earnings for each Rockets player as part of his current contract are noted beneath each photo.

2022-2023 Houston Rockets roster after the trade deadline

Here’s where the #Rockets stand with their roster, coaching staff, and basketball operations department as the 2022-23 season winds down and a critical 2023 offseason approaches.

After the February 2023 trade deadline, the Houston Rockets remain one of the NBA’s youngest teams. Yet, they have something of a veteran presence after adding Danny Green, Justin Holiday and Frank Kaminsky as part of their complicated web of transactions.

While none has a contract beyond the 2022-23 season, the Rockets will acquire Bird rights for each. Thus, general manager Rafael Stone will have options moving forward.

By and large, the rebuilding Rockets have prioritized youth and salary flexibility in building their current group.

That’s why it’s a combination of highly touted prospects Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. along with veterans Danny Green, Holiday and Kaminsky expiring salaries. Sengun and Smith are on their initial NBA contracts, which inherently makes them cheaper for the time being.

That formula is likely to change this offseason, when Stone and the Rockets have approximately $60 million in salary cap space to build a roster around those talented young prospects. They will need to explore contract extensions and raises for many of their young players in the coming years. For now, they’re making the best of another challenging season by staying flexible with the roster.

Here’s a look at where the Houston roster and basketball operations staff currently stands, along with jersey numbers and other relevant information for each player. All ages are as of Feb. 14, 2023.

In blowout loss to Thunder, TyTy Washington scores career-high 20 points

The #Rockets were uncompetitive from the outset at Oklahoma City, but rookie TyTy Washington scored a career-high 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting (56.3%).

The Rockets were crushed from the outset on Saturday in Oklahoma City, though rookie guard TyTy Washington scored a career-high 20 points in 25 minutes on 9-of-16 shooting (56.3%). Led by a game-high 42 points from Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, it was just the second win for the Thunder (25-27) in their last seven games versus Houston.

After losing at home Friday to Toronto, it was the second night of a back-to-back for the short-handed Rockets (13-40), who had Eric Gordon and Jae’Sean Tate sitting out for planned maintenance in a staggering 153-121 final (box score). Starting point guard Kevin Porter Jr. (left foot contusion) missed his 12th straight game, as well.

Second-year guard Jalen Green returned from his three-game absence with a right calf contusion but struggled, scoring 12 points on just 4-of-15 shooting (26.7%) and 2-of-8 on 3-pointers (25.0%). Like most of the Rockets, as evidenced by the highest point total in the history of Oklahoma City basketball, he struggled defensively.

Rookie forward Tari Eason added 18 points and 8 rebounds in 25 minutes off the Houston bench on 5-of-11 shooting (45.5%), while Josh Christopher continued his strong run of play with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting (63.6%) and 2-of-2 on 3-pointers over his 28 minutes.

Scroll on for highlights, analysis, and postgame interview reaction. Next up for Houston is a pair of home games versus Sacramento on Monday and Wednesday, with both tipoffs at 7 p.m. Central.

In victory over Thunder, Rockets rookie Tari Eason records third straight double-double

“When you bring energy, especially off the bench, I think it’s infectious,” says #Rockets rookie Tari Eason (20 points, 13 rebounds). “It bleeds into the team in all facets.”

HOUSTON — Rockets rookie forward Tari Eason has always had to prove to people that he belonged on the basketball court.

He had to prove it to his high school coach, former NBA player Brandon Roy, who never called Eason’s name during the 2018 state championship game in Washington. The following year, Eason was instrumental in leading Garfield to back-to-back titles.

When he transferred to LSU from Cincinnati, most believed that the player who made the All-ACC freshman team would immediately start once he got to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

He did not.

That did not deter Eason. He knew he would have to, once again, prove to the coaches he was an asset on the court. He did that by becoming the first player in SEC history to win the Sixth Man of the Year honor while being named to the All-SEC first team.

Eason is no stranger to showing coaches and fans what he brings to the court consistently, which is hard work and dedication.

“When you put in the work, and you stay true to what got you here (NBA), it doesn’t matter what anybody thinks of me or what the outside world thinks,” Eason said of his work ethic. “I know who I am, and I know what I bring, and I am just going to continue to do that.”

Eason provides a skill set that helped the Rockets (13-38) win back-to-back games for the first time in nearly two months.

On Wednesday night, Houston defeated Oklahoma City, 112-106, thanks in large part Eason’s third consecutive double-double. He finished with a career-high 20 points and 13 rebounds, including 12 on the offensive end.

“I’ve never seen someone get 12 offensive rebounds and 13 total,” Rockets head coach Stephen Silas said postgame.

The Rockets finished with 24 offensive rebounds and 65 total rebounds.

“For us to have 65 rebounds in an NBA game and 24 on the offensive end, it shows you where we were at tonight,” Silas said.

Eason, 21, was selected in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft and is seen as one of the building blocks for the Rockets’ future. The tenacity he brings to the court is what Houston needs to balance a team with so much young talent.

That ferocity was on display early as he scored 10 points and grabbed four rebounds in just five minutes of action. From there, as he has shown on numerous occasions, his engine never turns off.

With 9:35 left in the fourth quarter, the Rockets were clinging to a 90-89 lead over the Thunder, and it looked as if the momentum was about to swing Oklahoma City’s way. Well, that was until Eason imposed his will onto his opponent.

After KJ Martin missed a layup, Thunder guard Tre Mann grabbed the rebound, but Eason stole the ball before he could gain his composure.

That set up a wild sequence that resulted in Eason getting four offensive rebounds, scoring a basket and getting fouled.

All in one play.

“Anytime I step on the court, I want to bring a lot of effort, a lot of hustle,” Eason told reporters during his postgame press conference. “That’s just what I do. When you bring energy, especially off the bench, I think it’s infectious. It bleeds into the team in all facets.”

Eason has come a long way from what he called “embracing the suck” last month when he struggled to find comfort on the court.

“I feel like as time goes on, I have gotten more acclimated,” Eason told reporters. “As time goes on I am going to get more and more acclimated. It is just a matter of time, but I definitely feel like I am more comfortable out there, for sure.”

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Tari Eason is on an absolute tear with the Rockets: ‘I’m one of the top rookies’

Eason finished with a rare stat line and anointed himself as one of the top rookies after defeating the Thunder.

Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason finished with a rare stat line and calmly anointed himself as one of the top rookies in the NBA on Wednesday after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Eason recorded a career-high 20 points, 13 rebounds, three steals, two blocks and one assist to help the Rockets to their third win in five games. He shot 8-of-21 from the field, including 1-of-2 from 3-point range, in 19 minutes off the bench.

It was his work on the glass that stood out, though.

Eason hauled in 12 rebounds on the offensive end and became the first rookie since Alex Stepheson (March 2016) to reach that mark in a game. It was only the third time a player hauled in 13 total rebounds with 12 on offense.

“I have never seen someone get 12 offensive rebounds and 13 total,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said. “He did everything that he does: Got out in transition, finished at the rim, 50-50 balls. He made some plays defensively. Obviously, he was on the offensive glass.”

Eason finished with his third straight double-double and his fourth overall of the season. He is averaging 18 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 steals and one block on 46.9% shooting from the field over that span.

The 17th pick is averaging 8.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.1 steals and one assist in 51 games. He has started only three times, but is on pace to become the third player to average at least eight points, five rebounds and one steal in fewer than 20 minutes per game in a season.

The recent uptick in play comes as Eason was left out of the Rising Stars contest, which was voted on by the assistant coaches across the league. Though 11 first-year players were selected, Eason was perhaps the biggest snub from the event.

That, Eason said, has lit a fire in him.

“I want to show that I belong as one of the top rookies in this league,” Eason told Vanessa Richardson of AT&T SportsNet Southwest. “I believe I’m one of the top rookies in this league, and I just wanted to come out there and put everybody on notice from here on out.”

Despite not earning a place in the Rising Stars contest, Eason has emerged as one of the top rookies this season. He has the ability to affect games in a variety of ways seemingly every night, and he has the tools to be a regular starter in the NBA.

It is just the start for Eason.

“(I’m) just working on different finishing, better touch with my left hand and things like that,” Eason said. “Learning when to pick my spots, when to score and getting over screens. Really, everything has kind of improved. I’m just trying to keep improving from here.”

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Rockets rookie Tari Eason literally grabbed 5 rebounds in 5 seconds during this absurd sequence

This is so ridiculous.

Houston Rockets rookie Tari Eason is already one of the NBA’s best hustle players, and he showed why again on Wednesday.

Eason, who was selected by the Rockets as the No. 17 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, put on an absurd display during Houston’s victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The former LSU standout recorded his third consecutive double-double, and in the process, he gave the Rockets one of the most memorable sequences of the season.

During the fourth quarter, after recording a block on the defensive end of the floor, Eason somehow recorded a steal and five offensive rebounds within a five-second span:

Take a moment and watch that one more time because it’s something you will not see on an NBA court again any time soon.

Just look at the way this sequence was written in the box score and note how active Eason is on both sides of the floor:

Eason finished with 12 offensive rebounds, which is the second-most of any player in the league so far this season. He also had a career-high 20 points in the game.

The rookie defines what it means to give all-out effort when on the court.

He leads the league in loose balls recovered per 36 minutes (minimum: 200 minutes) and he leads all rookies in deflections and steals recorded so far this season. Overall, his Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus (dEPM) ranks in the 95th percentile among all players in 2022-23.

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Rockets rookie Tari Eason records third consecutive double-double in victory over Thunder

“Anytime I step on the court, I want to bring a lot of effort, a lot of hustle,” Eason told reporters during his postgame press conference.

HOUSTON – – Houston Rockets rookie forward Tari Eason has always had to prove to people that he belonged on the basketball court.

He had to prove it to his high school coach, former NBA player Brandon Roy, who never called Eason’s name during the 2018 state championship game. The following year, Eason was instrumental in leading Garfield to back-to-back titles.

When he transferred to LSU from Cincinnati, most believed that the player who made the All-ACC Freshman team would immediately start once he got to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

He did not.

That did not deter Eason, as he knew that he would have to, once again, prove to the coaches that he was an asset on the court. He did that by becoming the first player in SEC history to win Sixth Man of the Year and be named All-SEC First Team.

So, as you can see, Eason is no stranger to showing coaches and fans what he brings to the court consistently, which is hard work and dedication.

“When you put in the work, and you stay true to what got you here (NBA), it doesn’t matter what anybody thinks of me or what the outside world thinks,” said Eason about his work ethic. “I know who I am, and I know what I bring, and I am just going to continue to do that.”

Eason brings a skillset that has helped the Rockets win back-to-back games for the first time in nearly two months.

Houston defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night by a score of 112-116 behind Eason’s third consecutive double-double. He finished the game with a career-high 20 points and 13 rebounds; 12 came on the offensive end.

“I’ve never seen someone get 12 offensive rebounds and 13 total,” Rockets head coach Stephen Silas said after the game about his rookie’s performance.

The Rockets finished the game with 24 offensive rebounds and 65 total rebounds for the night.

“For us to have 65 rebounds in an NBA game and 24 on the offensive end, it shows you where we were at tonight,” said Silas.

Eason, 21, was selected in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft and is seen as one of the building blocks for the Rockets’ future. The tenacity he brings to the court is just what Houston needs to help balance out a team with so much young talent.

That ferocity was on display early as he scored ten points and grabbed four rebounds in just five minutes of action, and as he has shown on numerous occasions, his engine never turns off.

With 9:35 left in the fourth quarter, the Rockets were hanging on to a 90-89 lead over the Thunder, and it looked as if the momentum was about to swing Oklahoma City’s way. Well, that was until Eason imposed his will onto his opponent.

After K.J. Martin missed a layup, Thunder guard Tre Mann grabbed the rebound, but Eason stole the ball from him before he could gain his composure.

That set up a wild sequence of basketball that resulted in him getting four offensive rebounds, scoring a basket, and getting fouled.

All in one play.

“Anytime I step on the court, I want to bring a lot of effort, a lot of hustle,” Eason told reporters during his postgame press conference. “That’s just what I do. When you bring energy, especially off the bench, I think it’s infectious. It bleeds into the team in all facets.”

Eason had come a long way from what he called “Embracing the suck” last month when he struggled to find comfort on the court.

“I feel like as time goes on, I have gotten more acclimated,” Eason responded after being asked about his role in the lineup. “As time goes on I am going to get more and more acclimated. It is just a matter of time, but I definitely feel like I am more comfortable out there for sure.”

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Rockets’ effort, energy from Detroit win carries over into Monday’s practice

“We competed today, so whenever we have competitive practices, it gets to be ugly,” said John Lucas II, acting head coach for the #Rockets in the absence of Stephen Silas.

HOUSTON — As the Rockets were wrapping up practice on Monday at Toyota Center, you could hear the competitive back-and-forth of players going at each other. Although the precise words were inaudible from where the media was waiting for practice to conclude, you could feel the energy radiate to the area.

Once reporters were allowed in, it seemed as if the players had just finished playing someone other than their teammates. It was a passionate, competitive carryover from the way the Rockets finished Saturday’s fourth quarter in their 117-114 victory at Detroit.

“We competed today, so whenever we have competitive practices, it gets to be ugly,” said acting head coach John Lucas II. “But it is all love. That is the only way we can get better because we don’t have veteran players to help teach us. So, how do you win? Effort and energy. If we learn to play at that effort and energy all of the time, it helps us. We go to play hard. Playing hard makes up for lack of knowledge.”

The Rockets were without their three leading scorers, Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green, and Alperen Sengun, when they faced the Pistons. They were also missing their head coach, Stephen Silas, who was attending a memorial service for his father, Paul Silas.

After falling behind double digits on multiple occasions, Houston used the efforts of unsung heroes to get itself back into the game before eventually securing its 12th win on the season.

“People,” Lucas said when asked how the Rockets (12-38) can duplicate their hustle and effort from Saturday. “We have to continue to have people play hard. It was a good win for us, and I think it will help the guys who have not been featured a lot this year.”

“KJ (Martin), Tari (Eason), (Daishen), Nix, you know they have been beaten up on, rather than praised. So hopefully, this gives them extra confidence. And Uz (Usman Garuba). What about Uz? Two threes (3-pointers) out of the corner, I went, ‘Oh no, oh no. Great shot, Uz.’ He hit two of those that kept us going.”

Silas is expected to be back on the bench for the Rockets when they host Oklahoma City on Wednesday. Houston is also expected to have Sengun (non-COVID-19 illness) back, as well.

Coach Lucas could not confirm if Porter or Green would play, but he said their rehabilitation process is going very well.

“Alperen practiced today, he looks good, and he’s ready to go,” Lucas said at Monday’s practice. “Jalen is progressing nicely. We don’t know the time frame, but he’s doing well.”

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Moving forward: Short-handed Rockets defeat Pistons behind KJ Martin, Tari Eason

“All I needed was time and opportunity to showcase what I could do,” Tari Eason said. “Tonight showed that a lot of guys in here are going to keep fighting.” #Rockets

The Houston Rockets faced a mountain of adversity as they stepped inside the Little Caesars Arena to play the Detroit Pistons.

They knew for a while they would be without head coach Stephen Silas due to his attendance at a memorial service for his father, Paul Silas, who passed away approximately six weeks ago. It was also clear the Rockets would be without starting point guard Kevin Porter Jr., who suffered a foot injury earlier this month.

They were not, however, expecting to take the court without their two leading scorers, Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun, however. Both were ruled out before the game, with Green suffering from a right calf contusion and Sengun sidelined by a non-COVID illness.

Down three starters and a coach would make even the NBA’s best teams wonder if they could win under those circumstances. Yet, the young Rockets, led by Eric Gordon’s season-high 24 points, rallied late in the fourth quarter to defeat Detroit, 117-114 (box score).

“Ninety-five percent of it was about effort and hustle,” said John Lucas II, who filled the head coach’s role in Silas’ absence.

Lucas could have been talking about the ferocity that Gordon played with, or the tenacity shown by Jabari Smith Jr., Jae’Sean Tate, Josh Christopher and Usman Garuba throughout the game. In the back of his mind, though, all he could see was the consistent play displayed by young forwards KJ Martin and Tari Eason.

Eason’s strong early play helped the Rockets overcome some rough spots on Saturday. His 10 first-half points and 7 rebounds helped Houston take a 59-57 lead into halftime after trailing most of the way.

Eason finished with the third double-double of his career, collecting 16 points and 10 rebounds in Detroit. Eason has now scored 10-plus points in four of the last five games he has played.

“I know basketball is a game of runs,” Eason said postgame after defeating the Pistons. “All I needed was time and opportunity just to showcase what I could do. You can go one of two ways. You can give up or you can keep fighting. Tonight showed that a lot of guys in here, including myself, are going to keep fighting.”

“Keep fighting” also appeared to be the mantra that teammate Martin had stuck in his mind against the Pistons.

Starting his ninth straight game, Martin’s late-game heroics — along with 15 points and 13 rebounds — helped Houston (12-36) secure its second win in four games after a brutal 13-game losing streak.

For Martin, it was his second double-double in Houston’s last three games. During those nine starts, he is averaging 13.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while shooting 70.2% from the field.

With Houston trailing Detroit, 112-109, with 38.5 seconds left to play, Lucas seemingly called the perfect play for Martin. Knowing most of the focus would be on Gordon with the ball in his hands, Martin faked a screen and slipped to the basket, where Gordon hit him in stride. He was fouled at the rim as the shot fell.

Martin missed the free throw, but Tate retrieved the missed shot. After his shot attempt failed, Martin followed the ball for an easy putback, giving the Rockets a 113-112 lead.

“I felt like once we got stops and our offense got going, the game opened up,” Martin said in his on-court interview postgame.

Houston will now have three days off before taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night at Toyota Center.

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