Pre draft I kind of thought he would go higher and we'd miss him at 17. Draft followers talked about trading up and I just wasn't there. I kind of thought he was more an athlete than a baller, succeeding on effort over talent. Then we got him at 17, huzzah! I wouldn't have called myself quite the believer the CF draft guys were. I said, "he's played zero NBA minutes, let him earn it." Wait and see approach. Yes, he survives on effort and willpower a bit. The defensive ability that leads to fastbreaks could use a fine tuning to finish those plays. You'd take a higher shooting % from anyone. He's a rookie, plenty of time to learn the game inside and out especially with his obvious effort level. Flat out, he's outplaying everyone who shares a claim to the forward minutes. I'm a believer. Bolded stats indicate the best numbers of the group: https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/e/easonta01.html Tari Eason 2023 (25 games, 471 minutes played): 8.8 points / 5.4 rebounds / .9 assists .438% FG / .380% 3p / .842% FT .525% TS / 20.0% usage / .7 BPM / .3 VORP / 17.9 PER https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/martike04.html Kenyon Martin Jr. 2023 (25 games, 608 minutes played): 10.7 points / 5.1 rebounds / 1.4 assists .540% FG / .314% 3p / .661% FT .617 TS / 16.7% usage / -.6 BPM / .2 VORP / 15.0 PER https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gordoer01.html Eric Gordon 2023 (21 games, 633 minutes played) 12.4 points / 2 rebounds / 2.6 assists .442% FG / .354% 3p / .863% FT .587% TS / 17.0% usage / -2.0 BPM / 0.0 VORP / 11.3 PER https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/tateja01.html Jae'sean Tate (career numbers used due to injury absence in 2023) 11.5 points / 5.3 rebounds / 2.7 assists .501% FG / .311% 3p / .701% FT .571 TS / 18.0% usage / -1.6 BPM / .4 VORP* / 14.0 PER *this stat may be incorrect, and while also acknowledging Tate's injury his VORP this year is 0.0 making Eason the best of the bunch in that category as well. Presumably, the increase in minutes and surrounding him by better players (starters) would increase his points and assists. He's the best rebounder, 3 point shooter**, Box Plus/Minus, and Player Efficiency Rating. The usage indicates how assertive he is, despite not being a go-to type player like a Porter or Green. I would consider him the best all-around athlete of the bunch. Martin is the superior leaper but that's one of many, many qualities that define an athlete. He's got that glue guy mentality, doesn't need a play run but will force the issue, find the ball and make it happen. He's not afraid of the superstars, the moments aren't too big. I could go on, the guy just has it. **low volume 3p attempts but so are Martin/Tate. The real kicker here is his free throw shooting is significantly better than those two, likely indicates he's the best shooter of the 3 guys who have a chance at being Rockets next season. More likely to maintain the above average 3p% with higher volume. _______________________________________________________________________________________ I don't think it's outlandish to say he's the future starter at 3 and a great complimentary piece to fit in between Jalen and Jabari. I think most of the reason he's not starting now is because they're looking for a home for Gordon and Martin would cry about being 2nd string despite not solidifying himself as a starting quality NBA player. I think Martin wants to be paid like the 1st round picks/Porter are being paid but I'm not sure he's worth those figures. Which means he's available as a trade target IMO. What do you think, should Eason be starting? I think so.
Eason should be playing 30+ minutes (mostly at SF, some at PF). KMJ should be playing 25+ minutes (SG/SF)
Good post. His steal rate is insane, and he's an energizer type of player that does all the "dirty" work. His rebounding is also great. We need a guy like that in the starting lineup. I was ecstatic when he fell to us, I was on edge watching the draft from pick #9 till #17
I think Eason is the future of the rockets at the 3/4. if we keep KJ I’m okay letting him start at the 3 and have Eason come off the bench, as long as he’s playing starters minutes. But from what I’ve seen, Eason is the better fit with Sengun and Jabari so I’d love to see him start. Biggest motor on the team. Most importantly he needs to play a lot of minutes.
This is perfect because Eason’s knock on draft night and in college (came off the bench) is he can’t remember plays.
i love the guy, but I have to admit, it’s probably time. I really can’t rationalize Matthews getting minutes over Christopher and TyTy. I still think he’s rosterable, but he should be our 11th or 12th man. He should not be playing ahead of high upside 1st round prospects.
KM has zero guard skills. No handle, no drive, no playmaking. That should never happen. https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2023_leaders.html #17 in total steals, #20 in steals per game and #2 in steal %. Not for rookies, for the NBA. That's so, so very legit.
JGreen/Sengun/Bari/Tari is championship core. No NBA team got that nucleus. Don't waste Tari at 4.Start Tari, back-up KJM, problem solved. Talent aside his most important characteristic is challenging nature. Bari+Tari+Alpi shine within losers. They are going to infect JGreen and Rox will be multiple champions in the next decade (decade starts at 2026,Houston calendar).
I think Eason needs to improve offensively before he can be in the starting lineup. He's playing well in a reserve role off the bench and works well with KJ Martin and Garuba. Let him get his minutes off the bench with the goon squad this season before deciding to insert him in the starting lineup.
If you start Eason at the 3 other than KMJ who else will provide a spark off the bench? Gordon? I don’t thing ego will . I mean I wouldn’t mind if but we have to have another spark plug off the bench
This may happen in time, but don't see it any earlier than post all-star break. Maybe not even then depending on if moves are made or not. In the mean time, our second unit is a source of strength partly because of Tari.
He can shoot, cut, slash, dunk. Off-guard and SF can be somewhat interchangeable. Agree he doesn't have the handle to be PG.
Man I don't think anybody but his fam would call him a shooter. IMO handle is a prerequisite for guards. Tate is more suited to blend the line between 2/3, he's got handle and playmaking ability and offers the same below-average 3p %.
Right now, I'm kinda on the fence on starting him, I like his energy coming off the bench. For now, I'd probably start KJ. EG should never have played a single minute this season, get rid of him and there's plenty of minutes for Tate, KJ and Tari to share at the 3 & 4 spots.
