Tate embraces huge change
Rockets rookie Jae’Sean Tate thought about the work to be done in the offseason, the improvements he would like to make. As customary as that would be for a player heading into the final games of the regular season, with the postseason long-since out of reach, for Tate it represented a huge change.
This season, he does not have to also consider finding a job.
“It’s kind of surreal,” Tate said. “This is what I’ve been dreaming of. This is what I’ve been working so hard for, to come in on the back end of my first year. It went by so fast; I feel I just walked into training camp. Also, it just makes me hungrier because I know there are so many things I can work on and get better at.
He had previously needed to consider where he would play next, having gone undrafted out of Ohio State, and playing one season in Belgium and one in Australia before signing for three seasons with the Rockets.
With the Rockets, Tate has missed just two games, one with a sore knee and one after a false positive COVID test.
He has averaged 11.3 points and 5.4 rebounds, making 50.4 percent of his shots. Going into Friday’s game, Tate and LeBron James in 2003-04 are the only rookies to have at least 767 points, 368 rebounds, 172 assists, 85 steals, 34 blocked shots and make 56 3-pointers in their first 68 games played.
“There are just certain things I bring to the table,” Tate said. “My whole mindset is to try to impact the game, however coaches as me, whether that is defending or doing the things that don’t show up on the stat sheet or getting my teammates open shots or making open shots. I think my game has so many different things I can contribute on each night. It changes.
“I think I’ve grown a lot over the year. It comes down just really to confidence, being out there comfortable and throughout the season, playing more games. Having that confidence from your coaches and your teammates makes it a lot easier.”
That versatility, Tate said, will make him want to work on many parts of his game. But there was no question about what will come first on that list. Tate has made 29.8 percent of his 3s, leading teams to assign centers, especially in the matchup with Rudy Gobert and the Jazz, to
defend Tate. They have backed off to let him shoot 3s while defending the lane, an option he said he would like to change.
“I have to become a better knock-down shooter so they can stop putting the five on me,” Tate said. “It’ll make it a lot easier for me and ultimately make it easier for my team as well. Just continue to improve on every aspect of my game. Being versatile there’s certain things that you have to work on. The more versatile you are, the more you have to get in the lab and work.”
He has already done enough to be a likely AllRookie team selection, a rarity for a player several years removed from when he was not drafted.
“I think it would be a big accomplishment, especially being undrafted, having to go overseas for a stint just to get here,” Tate said. “It definitely would be an achievement. It already is an achievement to be in the talks. Nobody really saw me being in the position I am at the beginning of the year. I’m just trying to go out there and play my
heart out, play my butt off. All the (recognition) will come with that.”
Thomas signs; Reynolds added
With 10 players out with injuries or other issues, the Rockets on Friday added forward Cam Reynolds for the final two games of the season, the team announced.
The Rockets did not have the minimum of eight players necessary after they waived guard/forward DaQuan Jeffries on Thursday, a move made to allow them to sign guard Khyri Thomas to a three-year deal announced on Friday.
The Rockets faced the Clippers on Friday without Avery Bradley, Sterling Brown, Dante Exum, Eric Gordon, Danuel House Jr., David Nwaba, Kevin Porter Jr., John Wall, D.J. Wilson and Christian Wood. Rockets coach Stephen Silas said he does not expect any to return for Sunday’s season finale in Atlanta.
Thomas, who like Cameron Oliver and Reynolds had been signed using a
hardship exemption to allow the Rockets to have enough players to play, had scored 65 points with 20 assists, 15 rebounds, nine steal and three blocked shots. Since 1983-84, James Harden is the only other Rockets player to collect those numbers in his first four games with the team. He has averaged 16.3 points and five assists in 30.7 minutes per game with the Rockets.
Reynolds, a 6-7 forward from Pearland, averaged 16.1 points and 4.6 rebounds for the Austin Spurs in the G League bubble this season. Undrafted out of Tulane, he played in 19 games with the Timberwolves in 2018-19, averaging five points in 13.6 minutes per game.
“He can shoot,” Silas said. “He’s from the area. A college teammate of mine, his name is Doug Stewart, he coached both Cams. Cam Oliver at Nevada and the new Cam at Tulane. He called me about both guys, two good guys. As far as what I know, not too much. Just know he can shoot the basketball.”