Out for 4-6 weeks! Ethan is troubled by injuries again. The Rockets management faces a difficult decision to renew his contract.

Translator's Note: The original article was published on SBNation. The data in the article are as of the time of publication of the original article (November 16, local time). The dates and times involved are all local time. The opinions expressed in this article have nothing to do with the translator or the platform.

Rocket's relationship with Tali Eason is getting complicated.

If there's one thing I've always wanted to emphasize during my time as a Rockets reporter, it's this:

I love Tali Eason.

This is no longer a secret. Ethan is the kind of player you dream about. He's that kind of player. When you look back at the roster of a championship team, you say, "Yeah, he averaged 12 points and six rebounds per game, but without that guy, they couldn't have won that championship." Stars reign supreme, but the next level of players can be succinctly summed up as players like Tari Eason.

That's why Ethan's recent oblique tear was so bad.

The Rockets lose key role player Ethan

Before we dive into the impact of Ethan's (yet another) injury, let's talk a little more about how good Ethan is -- for my mental health if nothing else.

In the 2024-25 season, if Ethan played enough games to enter the rankings, his 3.3% steal rate could have ranked third in the NBA. His 9.4% offensive rebound rate would have tied for 14th. The following is a list of players who are ranked in the top 15 in both statistics:

1. Tali Eason

Yes, the list ends here.

This is not a random combination of data. The combination of these two statistics established Ethan's status as the top "ball-grabbing machine" in the NBA. Ethan always gets the ball whenever he gets the chance. Trying to stop him from getting the ball was like trying to stop the sun from rising. Whenever he sees his opponent possessing the ball, Ethan may have a nightmare.

It is true that Ethan's style of play has changed in the 2025-26 season. His steal rate (1.7%) and offensive rebounding rate (7.3%) both dropped significantly. But he made up for this decline with a 50.9% three-point shooting percentage (previously 34.2%).

As the season progresses, these numbers are likely to return to normal levels. But there's a sadder possibility: Ethan may not make the rankings this year, either.

The problem lies here.

The Rockets' Tari Eason has been officially labeled as injury-prone

To put it bluntly, after this injury, Eason's contract negotiations may work in the Rockets' favor.

This is an aspect of sports that is always uncomfortable. Injuries can be beneficial in many ways. Of course, we all agree that the best-case scenario is that he recovers quickly.

Nevertheless, it is undeniable that Ethan's successive injuries will become a factor in negotiations. This may mean that the Rockets can sign Ethan to a cheaper contract, but it also raises a troubling question:

How much should the Rockets invest in Ethan?

Ultimately, any commitment will be a gamble. The difference may be relatively small. If Ethan is satisfied with a $20 million contract (gosh, new contract amounts in the NBA are ridiculously high these days), the Rockets should hurry up and sign him. But what if he wants $30 million?

If Ethan has to miss games every year, it will be a considerable salary. Moreover, the Rockets' future salary space considerations have become complicated. They need to reserve cap space for Amen Thompson, and now it seems that Reed Shepard deserves a large amount of cap space.

It can be dizzying trying to figure out the long-term salary picture. I won’t go into the details – frankly, out of a sense of journalistic responsibility to ensure the reporting is accurate. But it can be reasonably said that there are many players in the Rockets waiting for big contracts. If Ethan cannot stay healthy and play, his position on the team will be in jeopardy.

It was as if a small piece of my soul had been taken away. Ethan's value on the field is unquestionable. But when he missed time due to injury, it all became empty talk. If Eason gets injured again this year, the Rockets will have to start thinking about how much money they're willing to invest in him.

I say this out of love.