Could Tari Eason be in Line for a Reduced Role with Rockets?

Much has been made about the Houston Rockets' roster depth this offseason. In fact, the Rockets have been dubbed the deepest team in the NBA, on numerous occasions.

It's difficult to refute, as Rockets General Manager Rafael Stone has stockpiled a bevy of talent, thanks to a four-year rebuild that allowed the franchise to add top talent via the NBA Draft.

To their credit, they made good selections with those picks annually. 

Which is the most important facet. Getting lottery picks doesn't automatically guarantee that a team will draft the right players.

In general, roster depth typically means someone will get squeezed.

Not everyone can play. There's only so many minutes to go around. 

This was evident with Cam Whitmore, who was never able to establish a formidable role in Rockets coach Ime Udoka’s rotation. Whitmore was ultimately dealt this offseason to the Washington Wizards, where he'll be given a substantial role on a young, rebuilding team.

Reed Sheppard was also squeezed for minutes as a rookie, averaging just 12.6 minutes in 2024-25, as the Rockets doled out heavy minutes at the guard spot to Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Aaron Holiday, and Amen Thompson. 

This summer, the Rockets parted with Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green, to reel in Kevin Durant via trade with the Phoenix Suns. The Rockets also added Dorian Finney-Smith and Josh Okogie on the wing this summer.

With Houston's flurry of activity in the offseason, especially on the wing, someone is bound to get squeezed for minutes this upcoming season. 

According to RotoWire's Adam King, Tari Eason could be that person.

"Houston is all in this season, acquiring Durant from the Suns. While this puts a bit of a damper on what Eason can do, he should still see decent minutes on a nightly basis."

King also noted Sheppard's miniscule role last season.

"We didn’t see much from Sheppard during his rookie season, but could at least be a regular part of the rotation following a dominant performance at Summer League."

Sheppard will certainly see an uptick in minutes, with Green and Brooks out of the fold. The Rockets' only actual guards are VanVleet, Holiday, and Sheppard, although Thompson will be starting at the two-guard spot. 

The Eason point is interesting, as Eason and Durant can play alongside one another, depending on the lineups that Udoka trots out. The Rockets have a ton of optionality.

Also, Durant has become rather injury-prone of late. Eason provides additional insurance. 

We also don't know how much Okogie will play. He certainly wouldn't seem to leap frog Eason.

I wouldn't expect Eason to take a drop off in minutes this season, so long as he remains healthy. He's in a contract year, which tends to be the best motivation for players.