The Rockets are staring at a tricky summer decision with Tari Eason, and the price tag could end up pushing Houston toward a different answer.
Eason is headed for restricted free agency after the Rockets were unable to work out an extension with the 25-year-old last offseason. That leaves Houston weighing whether it can keep one of its better sources of spacing and perimeter defense, or whether it has to start thinking about life without him.
If the Rockets do get boxed out of those contract talks, Ziaire Williams is one name that fits as a possible fallback. He’s not a direct one-for-one replacement for what Eason brings, but he does give Houston a cheaper route to recover some of that lost production.
Williams just wrapped up a career-best season with the Nets, averaging 10.2 points per game in 56 appearances. He shot 42.5% from the field and 34.3% from 3-point range, while also posting career highs of 1.4 steals and 0.4 blocks per game.
There’s also the fit on paper. Williams is 24, one year younger than Eason, and measures in at 6-foot-9 and 185 pounds, giving him a similar build.
The difference, though, is financial. Eason is projected for a 3-year, $75 million deal, while Williams could be available on a much more manageable contract, possibly even the veteran’s minimum.
Houston’s first choice remains clear: keep Eason. But if that proves too expensive, Williams offers the kind of low-cost pivot that could help the Rockets patch together at least part of the value they’d be losing.
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