Rockets' Tari Eason Cited as Trade Candidate Following Fred VanVleet Injury

Tari Eason's long-term future with the Houston Rockets has seemingly been a bit unclear. Eason's contract expires after the 2025-26 season and Houston's brass hasn't extended him, despite doling out extensions to Jabari Smith Jr., Fred VanVleet, Steven Adams, Aaron Holiday, and Jeff Green.

Everyone has gotten paid, besides Eason, thus far, making it more likely that he hits restricted free agency next summer. Houston has typically not allowed players to hit restricted free agency.

Take Kevin Porter Jr., for example -- the Rockets' guard of yesteryear, who they were once very high on prior to off-court issues that prompted his ouster. Houston decided to dish out a new deal to Porter, even though they could've waited a year to do so.

Smith Jr. is another example, as Houston gave him a five-year deal worth $122 million this summer, when they frankly didn't have to.

Eason's situation is even more tricky now, as the Rockets are loaded with wing depth (Amen Thompson, Smith, Dorian Finney-Smith, Kevin Durant, Josh Okogie, Jae’Sean Tate) and have an urgent need for a Fred VanVleet replacement (if one exists) following his ACL injury.

Eason is one of a few players who are immediately trade eligible that could be used to land a point guard fill-in. Houston could use his $5.7 million in salary ballast.

If Houston chooses to take this path (which they likely won't -- opting to instead divy up VanVleet's ballhandling and playmaking duties between Thompson, Durant, Alperen Sengun, and Reed Sheppard), the Detroit Pistons could be a team worth monitoring, according to Pistons beat writer Aaron Kellerstrass.

"The Pistons are thin at power forward already and Tobias Harris is on an expiring deal, so they’ll have one eye on the future of the position and Eason would be a great fit."

The writer continued.

"The Pistons have financial flexibility that would give them an advantage if the Rockets do decide to trade Eason to land a point guard."

The obvious retort here is that Detroit doesn't have a solution for the Rockets' problem. They, too, lack point guard depth, unless you're counting Marcus Sasser.

And although he has ties to Houston's community, having starred collegiately at the University of Houston, he doesn't solve the Rockets' problem.

And he's definitely not worth parting with Eason. Which the writer notes as a major hang-up in any iteration of a deal between Houston and Detroit.

"Detroit would likely need a third team that had an excess point guard good enough to tempt Houston but not have the financial flexibility to make a move without help."

In other words, this likely won't be happening. Even if Detroit does have interest.

Three-team trades are very difficult to pull off. They typically fall apart at the last minute.

The Pistons' best chance of landing Eason would be if he hits restricted free agency and agrees to an offer sheet with them. But even then, Houston would be able to match it.