HOUSTON – It's another start to a calendar year. The Houston Rockets have finished off 2023 with a .500 record for the first time in what feels like forever. Aside from some glaring issues, the team is clicking, and Rockets basketball is fun to watch again. However, there's something that Houston could do to shakeup players with rotational minutes that might keep them above .500 instead of below it.

A few of the players in the rotation have stifled Houston's style of play. While hands are mostly pointing fingers at Jock Landale, rest assured, Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka will surely be on top of that. Let's take a look at another player: Jae'Sean Tate.

The 28-year old has been the longest tenured Houston Rocket and the last player to witness James Harden on the roster. Signing a three-year contract extension prior to the 2022-2023 season, his main role on the roster is for gritty defense and occasional three-point shooting.

After a forgetful first year into his deal, it was certainly perplexing that the Rockets elected to keep Tate in the rotation after he didn't see the court very much due to injury.

Why Rockets should play Jae'Sean Tate less

Given his size at the three and smaller four, Tate also doesn't score the ball often. Averaging just 4.9 points with 33.3 shooting from deep in 18.2 minutes, if his defense isn't working then nothing works. Even in a defense-heavy Rockets team, they have trouble matching up against teams capable of scoring over 120 points.

Better offense triumphs over defense in most cases, and defense, while a major factor in the Rockets wins, haven't panned out as of late. Over the last four games prior to facing the Detroit Pistons Monday night, Houston is 29th in defensive rating.

It's not that Tate isn't a contributing player. He certainly is, but the Rockets are the wrong team. His style of play resembles a younger version of a PJ Tucker. Tucker's starting minutes during the Rockets' Mike D'Antoni era worked because Houston had three point shooters all around the floor along with MVP James Harden.

This is why the trajectory for a player like Tate would greatly benefit a playoff contender in need of gritty size inside and around the arc. Simply put, the Rockets don't have reliable three point shooters yet at this point in their path to the playoffs. The rookies drafted this season are in need to develop and Tate holds a big piece of those developing minutes.

Rookies need playing time

Simple Graphic of Cam Whitmore looking to the left.

Something has got to give if your team isn't consistently scoring buckets. Even so, Houston has a player that compares well with Tate. Take Cam Whitmore for example. The Villanova product has similar size and more offensive upside. He's received scattered minutes throughout his rookie season. His size, along with his three point shooting and athleticism at the rim is the perfect candidate to take over such minutes and continue developing into a formidable piece for Houston's young core.

You can even throw rookie Amen Thompson in the mix for more minutes to develop his game and mitigate his glaring flaws. This could initiate a ripple effect that would alleviate Fred VanVleet's overuse of minutes.