Rockets must make painfully obvious change when Tari Eason returns

With as well as the Houston Rockets have played through their first 15 games, it is easy to forget that they have now missed one of their most important players, bench forward Tari Eason, for the last four games.

Yet, when he inevitably returns, the team will need to make a serious decision regarding how they structure their rotation, and the most likely result is that veteran guard Aaron Holiday, who has been hugely important for the team in Eason's absence, will yet again be relegated to the end of the bench.

Over the past few games, Holiday's play has certainly warranted a rotational role, and, if Udoka is willing to expand his rotation beyond what it was at the start of the season, Holiday should be first in line to get those minutes. Yet, no matter how impactful Holiday is, Eason is the player this team needs.

Tari Eason is the player that the Rockets desperately need

After a rough start to the season, Eason found his footing rather quickly, averaging 14.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 56.8% from beyond the arc in the eight games prior to his injury against the Portland Trail Blazers.

When he was initially injured, the Rockets gave a timeline of four to six weeks until his return, and, in the two weeks he has been absent, Holiday has stepped up. Across his last five games, 12.2 points, 0.4 rebounds and 0.6 assists while shooting 50% from 3-point range, taking on 17.6 minutes per game.

He has provided a boost of perimeter shooting and reliable ball-handling that has been crucial in Eason's absence, and, by all means, he has earned the minutes he has gotten through this last stretch of games.

Yet, before Eason got hurt, he averaged just six minutes in the five games in which he played, earning five DNPs to match his limited run on the court. While he may have gained ground in the rotation during this time, the unfortunate reality is that Holiday will likely find himself relegated yet again when Eason returns.

Although the Rockets are relative thin in the backcourt, Reed Sheppard is looking increasingly confident, and the offensive upside he provides eclipses Holiday's by a large margin.

Moreover, when he comes back, Eason should receive the full load of minutes that he had before his injury, leaving little space for Holiday to carve out a steady role no matter how well he plays. He is one of the team's most impactful defenders and energetic players, and, if his hot start from beyond the arc can hold strong, he could also be the dynamic scorer that they need on a night-to-night basis off the bench.

Therefore, while Holiday has done enough to prove he should not be cut out of the rotation entirely, we are likely to see a drastic reduction in his minutes whenever Eason is ready to return.