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Tari Eason's latest injury absence could force the Rockets to reconsider his long-term future in Houston.
The fourth-year forward's latest injury, a strained right oblique, was expected to keep him out for four to six weeks and was set to return for Houston's matchup against Denver on Monday. Instead, Eason was held out of the Rockets' eventual overtime loss due to oblique soreness. He then missed Houston's second straight loss in overtime to the Pelicans on Thursday because of shin soreness.
Now, Eason has already been ruled out for Houston's next game against the Nuggets Saturday, which will be his 14th consecutive missed game after suffering his initial injury in November.
There's no denying Eason's impact on the Rockets. When the forward is on the floor, Houston is simply a better basketball team and has noticeably struggled in December without his two-way play. Dating back to a 133-125 loss to the Utah Jazz on Dec. 1, the Rockets are 3-4 without Eason, regressing on the defensive end while lacking in the floor spacing he provides on offense from beyond the arc.
If it weren't for his injury history, re-signing Eason to a long-term deal would be a no-brainer. Before his injury, Eason was one of the best three-pointers in the league and was defending at an elite level off the bench. The forward also publicly reaffirmed his desire to stay in Houston and continue playing for the Rockets at the start of the season.
While Eason has been a key contributor for the Rockets when healthy, it's been a challenge for the forward to stay healthy. After playing in all 82 games in his rookie season, he was limited to just 22 games in his sophomore season and played only 57 games last year. With Eason set to miss his 14th game of the season on Saturday and no clear timetable for his return, Houston's rotation remains thin and has proven to be a problem in recent games.
This summer was likely a preview of the challenge both sides will face when negotiating on a new contract next offseason. The Rockets reportedly offered Eason a contract extension worth over $100 million, but it's unclear how much of that was guaranteed. His injury history and concerns over those guarantees were what prevented an extension despite mutual interest, and could play out similarly this summer.
Eason is a valuable piece for the Rockets, but his injury history could ultimately prevent him from sticking around in Houston long-term. His name has popped up in trade deadline talks amid the Rockets' recent struggles, and those rumours and doubt over his future will likely grow the longer he remains out.
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Will the Rockets have to make a tough decision on Tari Eason's future?
Continue reading...
The fourth-year forward's latest injury, a strained right oblique, was expected to keep him out for four to six weeks and was set to return for Houston's matchup against Denver on Monday. Instead, Eason was held out of the Rockets' eventual overtime loss due to oblique soreness. He then missed Houston's second straight loss in overtime to the Pelicans on Thursday because of shin soreness.
Now, Eason has already been ruled out for Houston's next game against the Nuggets Saturday, which will be his 14th consecutive missed game after suffering his initial injury in November.
What does Tari Eason's future in Houston look like?
There's no denying Eason's impact on the Rockets. When the forward is on the floor, Houston is simply a better basketball team and has noticeably struggled in December without his two-way play. Dating back to a 133-125 loss to the Utah Jazz on Dec. 1, the Rockets are 3-4 without Eason, regressing on the defensive end while lacking in the floor spacing he provides on offense from beyond the arc.
If it weren't for his injury history, re-signing Eason to a long-term deal would be a no-brainer. Before his injury, Eason was one of the best three-pointers in the league and was defending at an elite level off the bench. The forward also publicly reaffirmed his desire to stay in Houston and continue playing for the Rockets at the start of the season.
While Eason has been a key contributor for the Rockets when healthy, it's been a challenge for the forward to stay healthy. After playing in all 82 games in his rookie season, he was limited to just 22 games in his sophomore season and played only 57 games last year. With Eason set to miss his 14th game of the season on Saturday and no clear timetable for his return, Houston's rotation remains thin and has proven to be a problem in recent games.
This summer was likely a preview of the challenge both sides will face when negotiating on a new contract next offseason. The Rockets reportedly offered Eason a contract extension worth over $100 million, but it's unclear how much of that was guaranteed. His injury history and concerns over those guarantees were what prevented an extension despite mutual interest, and could play out similarly this summer.
Eason is a valuable piece for the Rockets, but his injury history could ultimately prevent him from sticking around in Houston long-term. His name has popped up in trade deadline talks amid the Rockets' recent struggles, and those rumours and doubt over his future will likely grow the longer he remains out.
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Will the Rockets have to make a tough decision on Tari Eason's future?
Continue reading...
