In reconstruction mode, the Rockets have made a very good Draft 2022. A good draft thanks to the arrival of course Jabari Smith Jr., but it might also be that they have recovered the one who already looks quite like one of the steals of the year in the person of Tari Eason.
Definitely the work of Rafael Stone, general manager of the Rockets, is seriously starting to make noise. By picking up Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and TyTy Washington Jr., Houston may have had the best draft of any NBA franchise this year. Smith, the third pick selected by the Rockets, is obviously the most prominent but inside Tari Eason, chosen with the 17th choice, might shake the house much more than we imagine this season in Texas.
The former LSU arrives in H-Town full of energy and surely full of confidence following an excellent Summer League: 17.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.8 steals and 1 once morest on average. It earned him the honor of being named in the top five of the competition. The 2m07 player arrives in a team in total reconstruction where he will have the chance to nab minutes and responsibilities in view of his good performances in Las Vegas. Nice athletic beast, he is able to defend the lead, whether on the ground on insides, from distance on the outsides because he is very mobile, and in the air on the counter because the guy actually has no faults athletically. In short, a modern interior par excellence, even if at the level of the exterior shot it is to be improved. In any case, it is still a find that might, according to many aficionados, become a real deal in the NBA.
TARI EASON GETS THE @HoustonRockets STARTED WITH A SLAM! pic.twitter.com/C406kXjnbJ
— NBA (@NBA) July 8, 2022
Eason already has his body ready for the NBA and he arrives in a good environment for a youngster who has the slab. He will be able to pull the plug in training with interiors with different profiles: sturdy, mobile, skilful, airy or just (very) tall: Usman Garuba, Alperen Sengun, Kenyon Martin Jr., Boban Marjanovic or Marquese Chriss: the gear will be there to pull each other up, and Tari Eason’s advantage is that he will be able to play more in a small ball lineup if Coach Silas so decides. The Rockets were THE worst defense last season and to pass a course, Tari can clearly be a centerpiece of the workforce. With Jabari Smith Jr. in particular, he might form an unbearable defensive line to attack, due to their mobility and versatility. We shouldn’t be surprised to see him start a few matches or even finish them in a few months if his integration with the Rockets goes well. It’s a role that suited him perfectly in college since he was voted sixth man of the year in the SEC Conference, the most raised in the university championship.
“His defensive intensity, whether cutting passing lines, assisting, intercepting or rebounding makes him the playmaker he is on offense. […] He has a thing for grabbing balls on both sides of the field, he has very good hands. […] He is very good in transition. »
– Rockets coach Stephen Silas on Tari
Eason arrives in Houston through the back door as Jabari Smith Jr. has taken all the light from the Draft. But following a high-flying Summer League, the winger / interior might prove to be a real nugget for the Rockets. In any case, the Rockets can count on him to add a new rocket to their armada of explosive players.
