Jae’Sean Tate’s place on the Rockets has changed a lot since his rookie season, when he stood out as one of the rare bright spots in 2020-2021. Six seasons later, the conversation around him is less about promise and more about what he can still provide whenever his number is called.
What hasn’t changed is the reliability. Tate has dealt with injuries throughout his Rockets tenure, but when he’s on the floor, he’s been a steady presence.
He’s the kind of player who doesn’t complain about his minutes, and Ime Udoka never has to worry about effort with him. Tate also had a chance to leave in free agency, but he chose to stay and ride it out with the Rockets, hoping the process ends the way everyone involved wants it to: with an NBA title.
He’s the ultimate “Ime Udoka Guy.”
Last season, though, the playing time dried up. Tate barely got on the court, and the only time he topped 20 minutes in a game came in the Rockets’ final regular-season matchup against the Grizzlies.
In that one, he finished with 13 points and 6 rebounds, but that outing came with the Rockets resting their starters. He also picked up some minutes after the All-Star break, though that likely had more to do with Steven Adams’ season-ending injury than any shift in the rotation.
Health remains the key for Tate, because availability is what keeps him in the mix. The Rockets are going to need bodies, and there should be chances for him if he can stay on the floor.
Kevin Durant is turning 38, Steven Adams is coming back from a season-ending ankle injury, and Fred VanVleet is recovering from an ACL rupture, so the door is open for more opportunities than Tate saw a year ago. That makes him a luxury to have on the roster.
If Tate is reading, the advice is simple: plenty of yoga, stretching, and maybe a good ice bath to keep those joints moving.
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Fred VanVleets Comeback Just Added An Unexpected Twist For Rockets Fans
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Rockets Media Day Exposed Tension Behind Houstons Next Step
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Kevin Durant added another layer to that discussion by making clear he does not want his minutes reduced and wants to stay on the floor when the game calls for it. Coach Ime Udoka also left little doubt about how he views the organizations current position, saying the Rockets did not meet expectations last season and felt the group had plateaued. For a team trying to push past last years ceiling, that combination of urgency, restraint and dissatisfaction suggests the real work is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]