Rockets fans ready to say goodbye to young forward after Kevin Durant trade

The Houston Rockets made a major move. Now, it's time to think about some minor ones.

The team acquired Kevin Durant. It was the blockbuster deal some fans were waiting for. Best of all, the team got Durant at a reduced price. Outlets around the internet are giving the Rockets perfect marks for a great deal.

That doesn't mean their work is finished. The Rockets know who their core players will be for the 2025-26 season. Durant will join forces with Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and others. Now, they have to make some smaller decisions on who will populate the back of the bench.

One long-time Rocket may be on the way out.

Rockets may say goodbye to rotational staple

That would be Jae'Sean Tate.

He's the longest tenured Rocket. Some fans are attached to him. To be sure, Tate's hard-nosed brand of basketball has endeared him to Space City fans.

His minutes per game have also reduced for three consecutive seasons. In 2024-25, Tate saw just 11.3 minutes per contest. In 2025-26, that mark is likely to drop further if Tate is on the roster. So why pay him at all?

Tate has been on the team since they were tanking. It's always been assumed that he would be a contributor when they were ready to win. That hasn't been the case. Last year, Tate's Box Plus/Minus (BPM) of -0.7 was among the lowest in the Rockets' rotation.

Ultimately, his lack of three-point shooting has always been his core issue. Tate did shoot a career-best 34.8% from deep last year, but defenses did not respect his shot.

Tate is a stout defender and solid playmaker. He could be a contributor on a team that otherwise shoots well from long range, but his poor shooting makes him a problematic fit in Houston.

Who knows? The Rockets may want to keep him on the bench. They may value his presence in practice. If they want to keep Tate in the fold, that's fine:

But it could be more prudent to use their Mid-Level Exception (MLE) on a better-fitting player.

Rockets need to add shooting

It's hard to know exactly who will be available at that price. Malik Beasley may be interested in playing with Durant. Guys like Gary Trent Jr., Bruce Brown, Malcolm Brogdon, or Tim Hardaway Jr. could be options as well.

Any of them would be a better fit than Tate. The Rockets could keep him as a locker room presence, but if they can find a better use for that roster spot, they should.

Even if it's a more minor move than acquiring Kevin Durant.