As the Houston Rockets have played through half of their preseason slate, their primary goal has become clear: sort out the pecking order in their backcourt in the absence of starting point guard Fred VanVleet.
Yet, through these two games, one vital piece, backup point guard Jae'Sean Tate, has been absent due to an injury he is still rehabbing from, and, with the recent news that he underwent offseason ankle surgery, Rockets fans have also received a positive update.
Although Tate is still strengthening his ankle, he will likely be ready for the team's season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Jae’Sean Tate is still ramping up after his ankle injury last postseason and won’t play for the Rockets in preseason. Tate is doing non-contact but is ahead of Dorian Finney-Smith in his recovery.
Ime Udoka said he hopes Tate will be ready for the regular-season opener. pic.twitter.com/pCo3udu9OY
— Danielle Lerner (@danielle_lerner) October 10, 2025
Jae'Sean Tate returning to the rotation will be massive for the Rockets' backcourt depth
As VanVleet went down with an ACL injury in a team mini-camp late this offseason, many fans' and analysts' fears came to fruition. Houston, frankly, had not garnered enough backcourt depth beyond VanVleet, and now that choice was going to be tested on the biggest stage.
While Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard will likely take over the majority of the starting minutes given their offensive ceilings, neither player has yet proven themselves as ball-handlers capable of taking on that burden, and, in many ways, the team's ceiling will depend upon their ability to assume that mantle.
At the same time, however, Tate, who will likely take over that 10-15 minute per game role that is left behind Sheppard and Thompson, will also be highly important to this team.
Last season, through 52 games, Tate's production continued to take a major dip from where he once was earlier in his career, as he averaged 3.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists on a diet of just 11.3 minutes per game.
Yet, apart from the general lack of production, Tate is a relatively reliable ball-handler, posting a 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and having this on their bench is an absolute necessity for Houston to roll out a competent backcourt this season.
In Tate's absence, the reigning G-League MVP, JD Davison, has gotten significant run in the preseason, and he could give Tate a run for his money as a two-way player.
That being said, the Rockets, in their general desperation, may be looking toward a more familiar and veteran presence in Tate to help tide over the bench minutes.
With Dorian Finney-Smith set to miss the beginning of the season with a similar ankle injury, Houston must hope their depth pieces can return as soon as possible in order to ease some of the burden on their starters throughout their early-season gauntlet.