Tari Eason Cited as Rockets' Secret Weapon

Much has been made about the Houston Rockets' depth. The masses have seemingly coined them the "deepest team in the NBA".

And for good reason. Houston has a great blend of up-and-coming young prospects, along with proven championship players.

Typically, when people mention Houston's depth, they're referring to the star-level starters. Think Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, and now Kevin Durant.

Especially the latter.

But impact players aren't limited to the starting rotation. Take Manu Ginobili, for example.

The Spurs don't win any of those titles without him, and he was a reserve. He's a legitimate Hall of Famer though.

He's responsible for some of the Spurs' biggest moments in the history of their franchise.

The Rockets will have depth off the bench this season, by way of Clint Capela, Steven Adams, Dorian Finney-Smith, Reed Sheppard, and Tari Eason, to name a few.

The latter was highlighted by Fadeaway World's Eddie Bitar as the Rockets' secret weapon.

"Tari Eason might be one of the most overlooked young forwards in the NBA. His defensive intensity and energy off the bench make him the kind of player Ime Udoka will forever fall in love with.

Offensively, Eason is still refining his game, but his slashing, offensive rebounding, and transition finishing already translate. His secret weapon status comes from being a disruptor, and he is the heartbeat of their second unit."

Eason is a defensive menace. He defends with reckless abandonment. On the other end, his offensive rebounding ability creates additional possessions and scoring opportunities for the Rockets.

In 2023-24, Eason averaged 2.1 offensive rebounds per contest last season -- eerily close to Alperen Sengun's 2.9, which led the team altogether. 

Last season, Eason averaged 2.2 offensive rebounds.

All told, he's one of the league's most versatile players.

There's been talk about Eason's role potentially being shrunk due to the addition of Kevin Durant, however, that's a bit premature, as the two can take the court together.

Eason's contract situation still needs to be sorted out, as he's slated to hit restricted free agency after the 2025-26 season, giving Houston the opportunity to match any offer sheet.

The deadline for rookie-scale extensions is October 20th -- roughly a month away. Both sides still have time to agree to terms.

However, availability is the best ability, as the old adage goes, and he's missed a considerable amount of games.

The 2025-26 season could be a big year for the fourth-year forward.