The Houston Rockets are 14-6, second in the Western Conference. However, despite their hot start, Houston has been involved in a couple of trade rumors. The most notable of these has been the report that the Rockets would consider trading for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo if he becomes available, though there’s a caveat. Now, veteran Jae’Sean Tate’s name has cropped up in trade discussions.
“…A few teams inquired about Tate’s availability… offering similar salary — but the Rockets would prefer to get back second-round picks,” reports The Athletic’s Kelly Iko.
Rockets Willing To Part Ways With Spark Plug Jae’Sean Tate
A Steady Decline
At 29 years old, Tate is still theoretically in his physical prime. Yet, he’s seen a steady decline in playing time since his rookie season. Initially latching on with the Rockets in 2020-21, Tate was playing 29.2 minutes per game for a team that was floundering after James Harden was traded.
Ironically, though Houston was just 17-55, all eyes were on them due to the drama surrounding Harden. So, though Tate was a 25-year-old rookie who played for the NBL’s Sydney Kings after going undrafted, he became a familiar name among NBA fans. The timing was perfect too, as Tate averaged 11.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game.
Due to the Rockets’ eventual personnel changes, Tate’s impact became less of a necessity and more of a luxury. In 2022, Houston drafted former LSU forward Tari Eason, whose two-way impact was immediate. In 2023, the Rockets drafted former OTE guard-forward Amen Thompson, drafted former Villanova wing Cam Whitmore, and signed Dillon Brooks.
Due to Whitmore’s scoring tools and the defensive mastery of Thompson and Brooks, Tate’s role continued to shrink. In 2022-23, he played 15.9 minutes per game, which was then a career-low. This season, he’s only been on the court for 4.9 minutes per game.
Potential Trade Suitors
Tate is generally a respected player, credited for being able to do at least a little bit of everything on the court. Yet, aside from his post play, there’s nothing that necessarily stands out about him. With that being said, at 6-foot-4, most NBA teams aren’t trying to make his post-ups a staple of their offense.
Defensively, Tate’s issues are— once again—not quite weaknesses. However, similar to his scouting report at the other end, he’s not elite in any particular area. He can move and compete well, which is definitely beneficial when he’s on an island or matched up with a top talent. Still, he doesn’t create many events, in terms of blocks or steals. Nor does he have ideal length.
In the end, Tate is a player who any team would like to have on their roster. He can be helpful in a pinch, which is likely why there are teams interested in his services. To that point, if a team was looking to add him to their roster as an insurance policy, there might be too many interested suitors to name. However, there are a couple of playoff contenders that could see him as a part of their regular or extended rotation.
The Milwaukee Bucks, who are rumored to have interest in Chicago Bulls veteran Torrey Craig, are one such team. Due to the overwhelming amount of youth on their roster, the Oklahoma City Thunder are another.
