Houston Rockets expected to bring back trio of veteran players

It seems that Jae'Sean Tate will return to the Houston Rockets in 2024-25.
It seems that Jae'Sean Tate will return to the Houston Rockets in 2024-25. / Alex Goodlett/GettyImages
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The Houston Rockets are shrouded in mystery.

What will they do this summer? Nobody seems to have an answer. The Rockets are one of the league's preeminent wild cards.

They have the assets to trade for a star - and every incentive to win. At the same time, the Rockets have one of the most exciting young cores in the NBA.

We don't know what they'll do, but recently, we got a little more clarity. It seems like the Rockets are bringing a trio of veterans back into the fold ahead of 2024-25.

Houston Rockets to exercise team options on veterans

Jae'Sean Tate, Jock Landale, and Jeff Green are apparently set to gear up for the Rockets next season.

Each has been seen as a potential trade target this summer. Exercising their team options will impose some temporary restrictions on the Rockets, but it does open up the possibility of a trade later in the season.

In the meantime, each of these players is...fine? Acceptable? None of these guys are going to move the needle for Houston, but each is a capable reserve at their current price point.

It does feel like time to phase Tate out of the rotation. He's a solid player. Tate is a versatile defender who can put the ball on the floor and make plays.

He's also a 29.9% three-point shooter. The Rockets have a platoon of versatile wings that offer more defense than floor spacing. If Tari Eason is back at full strength in 2024-25, Tate should be available on a "break in case of emergency" basis.

That's likely to be Landale's role as well. He had a slow start in 2023-24 and heated up towards the end of the year. Still, assuming that Steven Adams is ready to play, he'll likely usurp Landale in the rotation.

Finally, Green is a veteran mentor above all else. There's no major harm in keeping him on the roster. With that said, his -2.1 Box Plus/Minus (BPM) suggests that the Rockets should look for an upgrade in the rotation - Green's best days are behind him.

At 37, there's nothing mysterious about that.