Former Rockets hero makes surprising decision about his NBA future

The Houston Rockets nearly won an NBA title during the James Harden era.

Sure: Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. The Rockets did not win a championship with Harden on the roster. That's the bottom line. Still:

They came awfully close.

Surrounding Harden and Chris Paul with an elite platoon of role players was a winning formula. There's no point in getting hung up on the past, but Rockets fans can't help but recall those role players with a surplus of love in their hearts.

Perhaps none of those players earned as much adoration as P.J. Tucker.

Noboduy could outwork Tucker. When Paul left and the Rockets brought in Russell Westbrook, the 6'5" Tucker willingly played the 5 to accommodate him. Rockets fans remember him fondly.

Surely, he's just a memory. At the ripe old age of 40, Tucker surely had his last NBA season in 2024-25, right?

Wrong.

Rockets fan favorite refuses to quit

I said 40 was a ripe old age. That's coming from a man in a similar age group. Lower back pain becomes a fixture. Tasks that once felt mundane are suddenly daunting.

Not for Tucker, apparently.

By his own words, he's 40 years "young". Tucker has announced that he intends to play through 2025-26. That's remarkable.

Perhaps it shouldn't be surprising. If there's one NBA player who's not going to quit before it's absolutely necessary, it's Tucker. If playing into your 40s requires toughness, Tucker may be playing for the veteran's minimum into his 50s.

Tucker won't be a rotation staple for any team next year. He's more likely to function as a back-of-the-bench veteran who gets on the floor in garbage time, and in the event of injury. Wait a minute...

Should the Rockets sign Tucker for that role?

Rockets could reunite with Tucker

Why not?

Sure, the Rockets have bigger fish to fry. They're seemingly still deciding whether to bring Kevin Durant into the fold. They need to figure out the Fred VanVleet situation, and ideally, they'll retain Steven Adams as well.

So, if Tucker is interested in coming back to Space City, the Rockets could entertain the idea if he's on a minimum contract. Tucker seems like the type of veteran that Ime Udoka would be happy to have around.

That said, Tucker has never been one to lack confidence. If he thinks he's worth a larger role and contract, the Rockets should let him pursue employment elsewhere:

Even if he'll always be in their hearts.