After not being dealt at Thursday’s in-season trade deadline, fourth-year forward Tari Eason will enter the NBA’s 2026 offseason as a member of the Houston Rockets.
Prior to the 2025-26 regular season, Eason and the Rockets weren’t able to come to terms on a contract extension, which sets the 24-year-old up for restricted free agency in the following offseason.
Because of that inherent uncertainty, there had been some speculation that Houston might consider trading Eason, as opposed to taking the risk of losing him for no compensation in free agency.
But Eason is an important contributor to the 2025-26 team, and there also seems to be optimism that the Rockets will be able to retain him, long-term.
The Athletic’s Will Guillory reports:
Eason is a young athlete who could attract some decent offers for teams looking to add size and defense on the perimeter, but the Rockets have reportedly been turning away any potential suitors. All signs point to the Rockets re-signing Eason to a lucrative deal, which will require some creative cap management with Kevin Durant, Alperen Şengün, Fred VanVleet, and Jabari Smith Jr. all due to make $20-plus million next season and Amen Thompson gearing up for a potential max extension of his own.
As a restricted free agent, Houston will have the right to match any outside offer that Eason might agree to. Several teams that had been in line for significant financial flexibility this offseason reduced it with deals this week, which might enhance the odds of Eason and the Rockets reaching a deal.
Eason is averaging 11.9 points and 5.3 rebounds in 24.6 minutes per game this season, and his 48.8% clip on 3-pointers is second-best in the league among qualified players.
At 6-foot-8, Eason also remains a strong and versatile wing defender who is capable of guarding most positions. That combination of traits makes Eason quite valuable to head coach Ime Udoka and general manager Rafael Stone, both for this season and beyond.
With Eason as a key contributor, Houston (31-18) can move up to No. 3 in the Western Conference standings with a win in Thursday’s home matchup versus Charlotte (23-28). Tipoff is at 7:00 p.m. Central from Toyota Center.
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Tari Eason sticks with Rockets ahead of pivotal 2026 offseason
Reporting by Ben DuBose, Rockets Wire / Rockets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
