Rockets Expected to End Tari Eason's Minutes Restriction Soon

Tari Eason entered the season with a superfluous level of motivation. He and the Rockets were unable to strike a deal on a contract extension.

He took the court with a vengeance, proving his worth and value for the franchise.

To be clear, this was never in question. Eason's two-way ability is extremely valuable. Every team in the NBA could use it.

Any team would love to have it.

Eason could (and probably would) start for virtually every team in the league.

Especially when considering his ability to be a glass eater, as he's proven capable of dominating on the boards.

Eason has also immersed as a viable outside shooting threat, to the tune of 46.6 percent from three on 4.5 attempts.

Both of which are easily career bests.

Eason's biggest struggle has been health, as he's missed extensive action throughout his career, due to injury.

This season, he's missed 20 games on the year already.

Due to a multitude of injuries.

At the point of his first injury, he was leading the league in long-range shooting, hitting over 50 percent of his threes through the Rockets' first 11 games (50.9 percent, to be exact, on 4.8 attempts).

He missed six weeks of action (and 14 games) in total, returning for Houston's overtime loss against the Sacramento Kings.

By his third game back, he'd been inserted into the Rockets' starting lineup, which was paramount in Houston's Christmas Day victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Eason had six stocks in that game (four steals and two blocks).

Sadly, 10 games after his initial return, he went down with another injury, missing roughly two weeks of action (and five more games).

Eason made his return in Houston's victory over the San Antonio Spurs last week, in which the Rockets miraculously held Spurs all-world center Victor Wembanyama to just 14 points on 21 shots.

However, the Rockets wing was clearly on a minutes restriction, as he played just 19 minutes.

Eason was averaging 27.3 minutes dating back to Christmas, when he became a starter.

The 24-year-old played 28 minutes in Houston's meltdown loss against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The increased tonnage and workload was a trend in the right direction, as it pertains to the fourth-year wing getting back to full speed.

According to Varun Shankar of the Houston Chronicle, Eason's minutes restriction could be ending soon.

Udoka says Tari Eason is close to getting off minutes restriction.

Expect a longer runway for DFS as he tries to get his rhythm back. Udoka compared that situation to how they handled Steven Adams' recovery last season (Adams averaged <15mpg in each month until March).
— Varun Shankar (@ByVarunShankar) January 25, 2026

Shankar noted that he asked Rockets coach Ime Udoka about Eason's increased workload at Rockets' practice.