Rockets Have “Serious Interest” in Tate

The Houston Rockets reportedly have “serious interest” in signing former Sydney Kings star Jae’Sean Tate.

John Hollinger of The Athletic was first to link Tate with the Rockets and NBL commentator and analyst Liam Santamaria also spoke about a mutual interest between both parties on NBL Overtime.

Former Kings coach Will Weaver – who coached Tate last season – was recently hired as an assistant coach on Houston’s staff and Santamaria believes the pair could be reunited with the Rockets.

“I have a sense he (Weaver) is going to bring in a bit more of an NBL flavour into that Houston Rockets organisation soon. There is a lot of heat around Jae’Sean Tate to the Houston Rockets,” Santamaria said.

“He is going to be in the NBA next season, I’m very confident of that and he has got a few different opportunities, but the Rockets are certainly in that mix.”

Earlier this month Hollinger Tweeted “one notable international in my valuations is Sydney Kings forward Jae'Sean Tate, whom I'm told has serious interest from the Houston Rockets”.

The former Memphis Grizzlies vice president of basketball operations wrote about Tate in his recent NBA small forward free agency rankings on The Athletic.

“The Ohio State product had a massive year in Australia after a solid 2019 Summer League and is just 24 years old; as such, he’s quickly become one of the most highly-regarded players based outside the U.S. Notably he hasn’t re-signed in Australia for 2020-21, with signs pointing toward him signing an NBA contract instead,” Hollinger wrote.

“Tate is listed at just 6-4 but has a strong frame and plus athleticism; he is comfortable battling in the paint and actually played power forward in Australia. His 3-point shot (40.5 percent in Australia last year, just 27.7 percent in college) will be the swing skill for him.”

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