The Houston Rockets have entered a very intriguing offseason. After surprisingly losing in the first round to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games, there remain plenty of questions on what's next for the Rockets to truly establish themselves as contenders.
It seems as if the Rockets are going to keep most of their group from this past season together and run it back healthy. The team dealt with some big injuries, most notably to starting point guard Fred VanVleet for the entire season and Kevin Durant for most of the playoffs besides back-up center Steven Adams .
The young core of players led the way in the playoffs, and ultimately came up shorter than they wanted. The trade rumors have been floating around for Alperen Sengun and even Kevin Durant, but based on the end of season press conference, there likely won't be any of those significant moves.
The Rockets will still make some changes to the roster. As hinted by coach Ime Udoka, there are some duplicates on the team. That will need to be addressed, while adding more scoring and shooting. These are the three players that will more than likely not be on the roster next season.
Based on what happened at the end of Game 3 where Tate strangely fouled Marcus Smart at the 3-point line when up six with just under 30 seconds left, the final nail in the coffin may be down on Tate's time in Houston. Udoka was visibly furious when that occurred.
Tate has been the longest tenured Rocket. He's been on the team since James Harden 's last season in 2020-21 for his rookie year and has stayed till now being on the bench. Tate used to see significant minutes early in his career, but that has gone down as the Rockets loaded up on talent.
The 6-foot-4, 230 pound forward can be a physical defender and always plays hard whenever he gets a chance. Former Lakers head coach Darwin Ham famously called Tate a bowling ball due to his tough intensity on the court. Sometimes his physical nature doesn't result in the smartest plays.
Tate started 77 games in 2021-22 and averaged close to 12 points and five rebounds per game. His minutes have steadily reduced and he was at just 8.8 minutes per game this past season. Tate played in 46 games and had one start while averaging 2.8 points and 1.6 rebounds in 2025-26. The 30-year-old got time in the playoffs, including the 10 minutes in Game 1 with four points and four rebounds.
He signed a one-year, $2.67 million deal last July and is set to become an unrestricted free agent. The Rockets don't really have a need to bring him back.
Apr 12, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jeff Green (32) smiles on the court during the fourth quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Could retirement be around the corner for Uncle Jeff, as he's fondly called in Houston? Green will be 40 years old when next season starts. The Rockets had signed him to a one-year, $3.63 million deal last June and will be an unrestricted free agent as well. Green was a nice signing back in 2023 for a two-year deal as a great veteran player to have on the team.
He provided key experience and leadership for a young team and became a beloved figure among the Rockets. While Green only started nine games through three seasons, his effect was primarly felt off the court in establishing a winning culture. The now 18-year veteran averaged less than six minutes per game in 30 appearances this past season.
While Green could be brought back, his roster spot could be used for someone who could get more playing time. The Rockets do have other veterans on the team like Durant, VanVleet, Adams, Clint Capela and Dorian Finney-Smith as well.
This would be a tough decision for the Rockets to make, considering how good Okogie was for Houston whenever he was on the floor this past season. He was always productive. The signing of Okogie last offseason to a one-year, $3.08 million deal turned out to be a great move.
He played in 78 regular season games and started 32 of them while averaging over 17 minutes per game. He even made two playoff starts in the six games due to Durant's injury and was just as good on that stage. Okogie averaged 4.5 points and 2.6 rebounds while shooting a career-high 38.5 percent from three. He's also been a reliable wing defender.
The issue is the Rockets have a plethora of wing players on the team and need more guard depth for higher levels of shooting. Considering Okogie had a great season, it's likely that he'd have a higher price tag this offseason and many teams would be interested in the veteran's talents.
The Rockets may not be willing to pay more considering the forwards they already have or getting a contract done for Tari Eason . It seems the Rockets are quite certain about Eason's involvement for the future.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/rockets/onsi as 3 Players Who Won't Be on the Rockets Roster Next Season .
