The Houston Rockets should bring back a trio of veteran players

The Houston Rockets are shrouded in mystery.

What are they going to do this summer? No one seems to have an answer. The Rockets are one of the biggest wild cards in the league.

They have the assets to trade for a star — and all the incentives to win. At the same time, the Rockets have one of the most exciting young cores in the NBA.

We don’t know what they will do, but recently we got a little more clarity. It appears the Rockets are bringing a trio of veterans back into the fold ahead of 2024-25.

Jae’Sean Tate, Jock Landale and Jeff Green are reportedly set to suit up for the Rockets next season.

Each of them is considered a potential trade target this summer. Exercising their team options will place some temporary restrictions on the Rockets, but it will open up the possibility of a trade later in the season.

In the meantime, each of these players is… okay? Acceptable? None of these guys will make things happen for Houston, but each is a competent reserve at their current price point.

It looks like it’s time to move Tate out of the rotation. He’s a solid player. Tate is a versatile defender who can put the ball on the floor and make plays.

He is also a 29.9% three-point shooter. The Rockets have a platoon of versatile wings that provide more defense than floor spacing. If Tari Eason is back at full strength in 2024-25, Tate should be available on an “emergency break” basis.

This will probably also be Landale’s role. He got off to a slow start in 2023-24 and heated up towards the end of the year. Still, assuming Steven Adams is ready to play, he will likely usurp Landale in the rotation.

Finally, Green is above all a veteran mentor. There’s no major harm in keeping him on the roster. That said, his -2.1 Box Plus/Minus (BPM) suggests the Rockets should look for an upgrade in the rotation – Green’s best days are behind him.

At 37, there’s nothing mysterious about it.