Kofi Inkoom
Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle reports that Tari Eason’s second NBA campaign will be cut short, as the Houston Rockets’ forward is set to undergo surgery for a growth on his left leg, as reported by head coach Ime Udoka.
The procedure, scheduled for Monday, will put him on the sidelines for the next four months.
“He had obviously been going through some things through the year and had a benign growth on the shin bone, the tibia I think,” Udoka said. “Took that blow early in the season. Flared up. He played through it with some pain. Never had a chance of fracturing. It was a pain tolerance thing. Once the pain got too high, he shut it down.
“We thought rest and rehab, he could get over it that way, but every time he ramped up, the pain came right back. After seeing all the specialists and decision makers, came to the decision that it’s best to have surgery Monday. He’ll be ready for the start of the season. A little bone graft put in there and he’ll be ready in four months.”
Eason, drafted 17th overall in 2022, had a healthy rookie year, playing all 82 games and putting up solid stats of 9.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.
He was expected to play a big role for the Rockets this season but injuries limited him to just 22 games, starting from a preseason incident where Jalen Smith fell on his leg. Since early January, he hasn’t played for Houston.
Entering his third year of a four-year rookie contract in 2024/25, Eason’s salary is around $3.7 million.
The Rockets can decide on his $5.7 million fourth-year option for ’25/26 until October 31, which they’re likely to do. If they do, he’ll be eligible for a contract extension in 2025.