Rockets' Jae'Sean Tate Cited as Potential Trade Target for Raptors

Could Tate actually be on the move this time around?

Feb 23, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jae'Sean Tate (8) warms up before the game against the Phoenix Suns at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Jae'Sean Tate has had a rough go, of late, with the Houston Rockets

After being one of the few bright spots in a rather disappointing 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaign for the franchise, Tate has missed extensive time due to injury in his third season- 51 games to be exact.

Last season, Tate found it difficult to land playing time, due to a crowded room of wings, including the newly-drafted Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore, not to mention Dillon Brooks, one of the Rockets' prized offseason acquisitions in 2023.

Tate landed just 15.9 minutes in 2023-24, which was easily the lowest mark of his career.

His outside shot, or lack thereof, has consistently made him a space killer (29.9 percent from deep last season) and his efficiency from the foul line, which was already low, reached a career-low in 2023-24 (66.7 percent).

There have consistently been reports suggesting that Tate was available via trade but we haven't seen anything materialize. This offseason, the Rockets exercised Tate's team option for the final year of his deal, which only added speculation to the reports of Tate potentially being on the move.

According to Josh Cornellisen of Raptors Rapture, Tate could be a trade target for the Toronto Raptors. Cornellisen describes Tate as "a proven defensive weapon and player who paid his dues on moribund Rockets teams", adding that he has no place in the Rockets' current rotation.

The Raptors' expert writer continued.

"He is a player many teams have been calling about, and the Raptors should be one of them.

The 6'4" Tate is incredibly strong and has played forward since entering the NBA as an undrafted player. He isn't a high octane scorer; in fact, he has shot just 30.6 percent from deep for his career, and last year averaged just 9.3 points per 36 minutes. Yet he also attacks the glass as a smaller player, is everywhere on defense and the Rockets were significantly better on defense when he played than when he didn't.

The 6'4" Tate is incredibly strong and has played forward since entering the NBA as an undrafted player. He isn't a high octane scorer; in fact, he has shot just 30.6 percent from deep for his career, and last year averaged just 9.3 points per 36 minutes. Yet he also attacks the glass as a smaller player, is everywhere on defense and the Rockets were significantly better on defense when he played than when he didn't."

Tate's $7.6 million figure in 2024-25 would make it rather easy to ship him off, but the Rockets are surely not looking to simply dump his salary, but rather add his outgoing salary as ballast for a larger deal, or deal him for draft capital that would sweeten the pot for a superstar.

Want to join the discussion? Like Rockets on SI Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Rockets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage