After going undrafted out of Ohio State, Jae’Sean Tate spent multiple seasons overseas before earning an opportunity to debut for the Houston Rockets during the 2020-21 season. During that year, Tate was impressive, especially for an undrafted player, earning All-Rookie First Team honors after averaging 11.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals.
Unfortunately for Tate, his playing time has steadily decreased every season since then. As a result, his numbers have done the same every year apart from Tate’s sophomore campaign, where he scored half a point more than his rookie season. This trend continued during the 2025-26 season, as Tate averaged a career-low 2.8 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.2 steals in 8.8 minutes per game over 46 contests. While Tate’s athleticism and defensive production once earned him minutes early in his career, his lack of development from a shooting standpoint makes it tough to justify playing him. Tate’s 3-point percentage this season was 31.3%, and his free-throw percentage was a career-low 63.6%. With a career average of 30.9% from beyond the arc, Tate’s offensive woes have already begun to overshadow his defensive talents. Not to mention, Tate is one of the most undersized small forwards in the league, listed at 6’4″. Currently an unrestricted free agent, Tate may find himself playing elsewhere next year.
Overall grade: D
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Houston Rockets 2025-26 player grades: Jae’Sean Tate
Reporting by Mack Baltes, Rockets Wire / Rockets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
