At least for now, Tari Eason is staying put as a member of the Houston Rockets.
Eason's future with the Rockets past the 2025-26 season has been up in the air ever since his failed extension talks with Houston. The 6'8" forward's lengthy injury history prevented the two sides from agreeing to a deal, and those concerns have continued to play out this season.
He's been one of Houston's top contributors when healthy, but Eason's already missed 20 games this season, putting his name into the rumor mill ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
Eason's short-term future
The Rockets have reportedly maintained interest in Coby White, but it’s my understanding that Houston has been unwilling to include 24-year-old forward Tari Eason or a first-round pick in an offer to this point, which is likely what would be required to land White from Chicago.
— Jake Weinbach (@JWeinbachNBA) January 28, 2026
While some believe that Houston would be better off trading Eason now, the Rockets don't seem ready to part ways with the forward yet. Houston has been linked with Chicago Bulls guard Coby White amid its glaring need for another point guard, but Eason won't be involved in any trade.
The Rockets are reportedly "unwilling to include" Eason in a deal for White, suggesting that Houston wants to hold onto the former LSU Tiger. White would be a clear upgrade for the Rockets in the backcourt, but without Eason, it doesn't seem likely a deal will come to fruition.
Despite Eason's injury concerns, the Rockets are maintaining their patient approach to roster-building, and it's hard not to fault them for it. Through 24 games, Eason is averaging 12.0 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting a career-high 46.8% from deep.
When you consider Eason's energy and impact on defense on top of his offensive production, it's easy to see why Houston won't trade him at the deadline to try to re-sign the forward to a long-term contract this summer.
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Houston Rockets 'unwilling to include' Tari Eason in trade discussions
