What’s next for Rockets’ Tari Eason?

Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason is picking up where he left off.

After missing 60 games a year ago, Eason has emerged as a key part of the Rockets this season and continues to impress his teammates, coaches and opponents around the league.

Defensively, Eason has been one of the big players in the league this season, but The Ringer writer Danny Chau wonders if he’ll be able to sustain that kind of success if he makes the starting lineup.

“The next step for both Eason and the Rockets is to figure out how much his production can scale up without losing that edge. Because if his battery can withstand more than 30 minutes of hell-raising two-way play per night, Eason has the makings of a player , which is worth building an identity around,” Chau writes.

The Rockets’ starting lineup has also been successful, so there is no clear path for Eason to join the starting five. But the more he plays, the more likely he is to get a promotion.

Eason is likely an early sixth man of the year candidate, but ultimately it will work into the starting lineup for the Rockets or whichever team trades for him if Houston puts him on the block. Given how he’s played, it’s more likely he’ll stay with the Rockets.