Overview

• Tate confirmed offseason surgery on his right ankle to address an impingement that sidelined him for Houston’s 2025 playoff series against Golden State.
• He has been ruled out for all preseason games and is limited to non-contact work such as full-court conditioning, shooting, and ball handling.
• Coach Ime Udoka said Tate is a bit further along than Dorian Finney-Smith in recovery, and the team is hopeful he could be available for opening night.
• Tate described his status as day-to-day and stopped short of committing to the Oct. 21 timeline.
• With both wings out this month, reserve minutes have shifted to Tari Eason and Josh Okogie, while Tate remains on a one-year $2.7 million deal with trade restrictions until Dec. 15 and a trade veto.