Is It Time for the Rockets to Bench Jabari Smith Jr. for Tari Eason?

Houston may need to sit Smith Jr. and start a more versatile forward in Tari Eason.

Jun 24, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; First round draft picks TyTy Washington Jr. and Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. hold Houston Rockets jerseys while posing for a picture during a press conference at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets boast one of the deepest teams in the NBA, which has translated to their 12-6 start. The Rockets sit as the third seed in the Western Conference having won seven of their last 10 games. The team has been off to a hot defensive start, similar to last season, but has also seen slight improvement on offense.

Despite the promising start to the season, the Rockets still have some issues with their starting lineup. The two biggest questions surround guard Jalen Green and forward Jabari Smith Jr.'s production on offense.

Green has shot just 38.2% from the field so far, but he's still leading the team in points per game with 18.7. Smith, on the other hand, has seen a slight decline in production across the board.

Smith's sophomore season was promising, seeing him average 13.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. Unfortunately, he's taken a step back this year, averaging 11.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and just 0.8 assists on worse shooting splits.

Contrary to Smith's decline, Tari Eason has stepped up to be a candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year award, anchoring Houston's defense and pouring in solid offense on the other end. Drafted the same year as Smith (2022), Eason played just 22 games his sophomore season but has stepped up the team's best piece off the bench.

In just 22.8 minutes per game, Eason is averaging 11.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 2.2 steals (top three in the NBA). He's doing so while shooting 50.9% from the field, placing second among Rockets players averaging more than 20 minutes per game.

It may be time for Udoka to swap minutes between Eason and Smith. Smith is averaging 28.3, but Eason's time has been far more productive. If he's given more of an opportunity with the starting lineup, both sides of the floor would elevate based on statistics alone.

What doesn't show on the stat sheet is Eason's hustle. This isn't questioning Smith's effort, but late in games, Eason can be seen diving on loose balls, saving plays, and giving the team second-chance opportunities. Eason would gel well with more minutes in the starting lineup.

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