Rockets‘ free agent addition Dillon Brooks recently said he’s looking forward to teaming up with Tari Eason, and Eason tells Kelly Iko of The Athletic that the feeling is mutual. Eason gained a reputation as a tough, aggressive defender during his rookie season, and he wants to build on that with help from Brooks.
“He’s one of the best defenders around and I can learn so many things from him,” Eason said. “There are so many other things to defense besides just guarding your man. There are so many things I can get better at in defense. Just being able to be paired with him and his skill, his approach and how he sees things from a defensive standpoint. I’ll be able to pick his brain, learn and become a better defender.”
Eason quickly earned a rotation spot last season as a rookie on one of the worst teams in the league. Houston is expecting to be much better after signing Brooks and three other veteran free agents, and new coach Ime Udoka has emphasized to Eason that defense will be important for him to keep getting regular minutes.
“Just be vocal. Be in the right spots, things like that,” Eason said of Udoka’s message. “As far as my defensive approach, they want me to be locked in. We have an older team now so for me to be on the floor, I have to be one of the best defenders on the floor at all times. So just really being homed in on defense, that’s the biggest thing. Being able to knock down a consistent shot and play defense.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- The Mavericks likely have two more seasons to show Luka Doncic that they can build a contender around him before they have to worry about him leaving, Tim Cato of The Athletic writes in a mailbag column. Doncic can opt out of his current deal in 2026, and although Cato is skeptical that the Slovenian star would ask for a trade before then, he acknowledges that the organization is operating under a “Doomsday Clock.” Cato also points out that Dallas has amassed a wealth of young talent, draft assets and tradable contracts to bid for the next big star that becomes available.
- Cato believes it’s probably a coin flip on whether the Mavericks will trade Tim Hardaway Jr. before training camp, but he says it should become more likely as the season wears on. He points out that the acquisition of Seth Curry makes Hardaway more expendable, and the team needs to find minutes for second-year guard Jaden Hardy.
- Keldon Johnson has established himself as a starter with the Spurs, but the addition of No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama may push him into a sixth-man role, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “I just want to win,” Johnson said. “Whatever I got to do to win, I am looking forward to that, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Eason is a guy that the Rockets should really try and build around. He has a good attitude about all of the stuff flying around, and with being second on the PF ladder behind Jabari. With some work, he could be a seriously good player, and he’s already got some strong positive attributes. I’m looking forward to seeing how he operates in an actual system.
Also, picking Brooks’ brain is fine. As long as he doesn’t pick up Brooks’ tendency to foul guys he can’t stop instead of getting a switch or trying to pen them into other defenders.
lol and I guess picking Steve Nash’s brain is fine as long as you don’t pick up his tendency to lead the league in turnovers & never make a finals…. Dillon Brooks is elite defensively. You just gotta accept that
He is an elite defender. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have obvious deficiencies. Like his tendency to foul, or chuck shots, or think he’s a better offensive player than he is. You’re acting like I said he’s a worthless player, lmao.
Comparing Brooks to Nash is hilarious.
Smh you’re hopeless… link to m.youtube.com
That’s rich. And also typical. Brooks has value as a tough point of attack and wing defender. But acting like he’s faultless is dumb. And comparing him to a first-ballot Hall of Famer is inexplicable. Back up your nonsense without hiding behind highlight vids.
When did I say he was faultless? Stick to the facts please. Article said Eason wanted to be a better defender by learning from one of the best in the game & clearly you couldn’t just accept it. For some reason it hurt your feelings to see that Dillon Brooks was getting his due praise. Something’s wrong with u dude. Tbh idek why I’m wasting my time wit u lol
“For some reason it hurt your feelings to see that Dillon Brooks was getting his due praise.”
I pointed out that if Eason wants to be great, he needs to avoid the problems Brooks has. And that it was fine for him to pick his brain as long as he did so. You’re the one who took it out of context and decided I was mad. And then decided comparing Brooks to one of the greatest PGs of the 2000s was a good idea. Where did I say I was mad?
Keldon is clearly the best player on the team smh how would Wembo’s arrival push him to the bench?
Agreed on Keldon being a starter, how isn’t the below the starting lineup.
Jones
Vassell
Johnson
Sochan
Wembanyama
I’d prob have Sochan coming off the bench. Wembo gonna need to start next to a 5 for at least a while. Prob something like Tre/Bullock/Keldon/Wembo/Zach… Payne/Vassell/Sochan/Bassey as the main bench ro & guys like Branham/Devonte/Wesley/Cedi/Champagnie very able to earn pt
Pop said already collins is his starting center.
I think it will be
Collins
Wemby
Kj
Vassell
Jones
This is what the lineup should be. Greg won it
They want Wemby at the 4. So Zach Collins will start at the 5. That means either Keldon or Sohan comes off the bench. Now both will get starters minutes. The Spurs had the worst defense in the NBA last season. So that will be an emphasis, meaning I can see Sohan starting and Keldon spearheading the 2nd unit.
lol hey you gave it a shot
This rhetoric following an offseason of collecting 2nd round picks, likely means SAS is tanking again this year. The only question is whether this will upset Silver enough where he feels the need to penalize DAL again.
Cuban needs to have his team taken away from him and every person on the Mavs roster the last couple of weeks of the season needs to be banned from playing in the NBA for purposely losing. I’m no longer a Mavs fan or want any of those players on my roster including Luka and Kyrie. it’s a team full of losers and quitters. I would sign with them no matter how much money they gave me unless I enjoyed losing on purpose.
Nobody cares
Dallas is so interesting, they could be a good regular season team then easy playoff exit or a middling reg season team who snipes someone in the postseason …. Or they just fold and this Luka talks gets real , as in he signals disdain thru a media outlet
I liked their off-season in a vaccume but more fir the long range / not a prove it 2 year window- they need Lively and Prospers skill sets badly but they need them today, how rushed will they be w them – They still have nobody to track SF’s on D , that’s a huggggeee problem in the west
What is the “wealth” of young talent that Dallas is assembling that is mentioned in the article. Jaden Hardy??? Josh Green???
Where is the stockpile of draft assets the article mentions??? Didn’t the assets go with the Kyrie trade??
How does adding Seth Curry, who was injured and bad last year, make Tim Hardaway Jr. expendable??? Hardaway is still the better player.
The Dallas Doomsday Clock with Luka could strike zero as early as this year. Roster got made worse by the addition of Kyrie, and became a lot less financially flexible, and have to wait for Kyrie to have his annual meltdown or two.
Where do these writers come from????
Dallas is screwed…
No young talent outside of Luka…
No 2nd star…
Far too much dead money…
Poor kid…
Eason thinks Brooks is a good defender…
Well he’s in for a rude awakening when he finds out it’s all hype…
Eason is nice player. He’s a more a 3 to me at 216 LBs. I wonder what happens in Houston with Cam (230 lbs) looking good at the 3. Rockets are fulll of wings. I’m sure Brooks will start (3) with Smith (4) the two forwards. Sengun at center although his best position is PF. They could move Eason for a nice return.
Rockets signed Landale too. Don’t really know him. But I’ve read that Coach Udoka really likes him. Rockets will be fun to watch this yr. I like their draft picks. Time to start showing up.
Going to be an interesting season for the Rockets, Udoka is a really solid coach and will do a lot for them defensively. However I do fear for the lack of three point shooting…. Really interested to see the development of Jabari, think he’s going to take a solid leap this year
Fournier and three 1sts for Keldon Johnson
Trade Keldon Johnson to Memphis for Zhaire Williams, I Todd and 1st rd picks. Keldon Johnson for Fournier and 2 1sts rd picks. Keldon Johnson for Caris Lavert and Bates. Keldon Johnson and B Wesley with picks for Maxey, korkmaz, House Dedmon and Springer. Give Keldon Johnson a chance like Murray to got out. Spurs need one more year of a rebuild
Anyone?
Trade to Washington for victors French friend