ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported over the weekend that the Rockets were picking up the $7.6 million team option on forward Jae’Sean Tate’s contract for the 2024-2025 season.
The decision is not shocking because it was anticipated that Tate, who is now 28 years old, would utilize his last year as a trade chip when he signed a three-year, $20,63 million contract in 2022. Waiving Tate would have allowed the receiving team to save money right away and avoid paying the luxury tax if the Rockets had included him in a deal either this season or last season for salary matching purposes. Tate might potentially attract interest from a playoff contender in need of defensive wing depth.
When the Rockets started their rebuilding project after trading superstar guard James Harden, Tate was considered a building brick. Tate averaged 4.1 points and 3.0 rebounds on 47.2% shooting from the field last season. Tate is a competent playmaker and tenacious defender who is, by all accounts, a huge asset in the locker room. However, he has never been able to get better at long-range shooting, a weakness that has severely restricted his offensive potential. Tate’s long-range percentage from 2023–2024 was merely 29.9% in that season. Throughout his career, he has only shot 30.6% from a distance.
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