Tari Eason contract should be the easiest offseason call for the Rockets

The Rockets will be looking to make some changes this offseason, but hoping that Tari Eason's presence is not one of them. According to reports, the Rockets want to retain him through his restricted free agency this summer. It's a no-brainer decision for a Houston front office that has gotten great value from Eason in recent seasons on his rookie contract, and now hopes to keep him around for longer.

Tari Eason has carved out his role in Houston

Since joining the Rockets, Eason has established himself as a hard-nosed defensive stopper. Every time Eason touches the court, he exemplifies head coach Ime Udoka's favorite traits of hustle and elite defense. Those traits have also contributed to Eason's incredible impact metrics in every year of his career, whether the Rockets were a tanking team or the second seed in the West.

Eason's profile as a player are representative of the Rockets as a team overall. He's a wrecking ball on defense and at his best when he can force turnovers or stops that lead to transition baskets. But he's also got his weaknesses as a shooter and playmaker that contribute to the Rockets' overall offensive woes.

However, as a bench player getting 25 minutes per game, Eason shouldn't be expected to fix all the Rockets' problems. He's done a great job of playing the role he's assigned, and even improved his outside shooting to more respectable levels - 36% last season. Even with his flaws, Eason still helps the Rockets operate at their best and deserves a chance to continue developing while helping Houston win more games.

The price for Eason needs to be right

The Rockets can't afford to overpay for Eason the way they did with Dorian Finney-Smith. Eason is a fair bit younger than Finney-Smith so he's got less injury concerns, but Eason has missed considerable time too. Over the last 3 seasons, he's only averaging 46 games played each year.

If Eason can stay healthy, the Rockets would love to have him back on a reasonable contract. But that deal may need to be a bit lower to account for the injury risk. Luckily, the Rockets have an advantage due to Eason's restricted free agency which should keep them from overpaying him dramatically.

Since the Rockets will have the option to match any other team's offer for Eason, they can wait for him to find another suitor or just offer him a more team-friendly deal. Since Eason's archetype isn't in high demand across the league, it's very unlikely that another team will extend a huge offer and force the Rockets' hand. Instead, it should be a relatively straightforward negotiation between the two sides.

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