Though some NBA players hesitated at the idea of playing at the league’s bubble complex in Florida during the COVID-19 pandemic, Houston Rockets veteran P.J. Tucker wasn’t one of them.
“I want to play basketball,” the 35-year-old Tucker told Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston on Thursday night. “I love playing basketball. I’ve got an eight-year-old son that loves watching me play. He’s so excited right now. He’s super-hyped for me to go play.”
Given his insistence on playing, even in the current circumstances, it’s no surprise that Tucker has a few more years in mind. And he wants them to be in Houston, where he’s played since signing in July 2017.
Tucker told Berman:
I love Houston. I’ve said it many times. I want to retire as a Houston Rocket. The fans, the city have embraced me since day one. So fingers crossed, I hope we can strike a deal and get it done.
In February, the Rockets agreed to fully guarantee the final season of the four-year contract that Tucker agreed to in 2017. That means that Tucker is certainly sticking around through next season (2020-21).
But Tucker would clearly like his time in Houston to last longer. And even though he’s advanced in NBA years at 35 years old, his game hasn’t shown any signs of decline. After news of the 2020-21 guarantee leaked in February, Tucker told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle:
I think I deserved a contract extension, but I didn’t get it. Life goes on. Keep playing. It’s something I’ll deal with and play on.
Known best for his defense, leadership, and corner 3-point shooting, Tucker is averaging 7.1 points (37.0% on 3-pointers) and 6.9 rebounds in 34.4 minutes per game for Houston this season. Both the rebounds and minutes totals are the highest of Tucker’s lengthy career.
Tucker is also well known for his toughness, as evidenced by the fact that hasn’t missed a single regular season or postseason game since signing with the Rockets more than three years ago. Dating back to the 2012-13 season, he’s played in more games than any NBA player.
Time will tell as to whether the Rockets and Tucker can come to terms on a new deal. Last September, Houston GM Daryl Morey said the team typically waits to do extensions until players are “one year out” from their contract expiration, which will be the case for Tucker this offseason.
In the meantime, Tucker and the Rockets have their eyes on an even bigger prize in the form of the 2020 NBA championship.
“I think anybody can win it, so I say, why not us,” Tucker told Berman. “Nobody has any edge over anybody right now. Everybody’s been at home. So I think whoever puts it together the fastest, whoever jells and gets it going the fastest, will probably be the winner.”
