The Houston Rockets are entering the season with some major concerns regarding some of their top rotation players. After an offseason that saw them reload and take a step into title contention, the Rockets still have to work out some contract extensions.
Kevin Durant, the new star of the organization, has just one year left on his contract. While he said that he sees himself staying in Houston, a failed agreement by the deadline would mean he’d enter unrestricted free agency. His extension talks can carry into the regular season.
However, Tari Eason’s looming rookie extension will undoubtedly factor into Durant’s deal. The 24-year-old has been a key piece off the bench for Houston, and the deadline for his deal is October 20. The Rockets will have to navigate these contracts without dipping into the second apron, which will impose penalties that can derail futures.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps gave the latest intel on Durant’s contract negotiations with the Rockets. It seems that while the 37-year-old is up for a two-year, $120 million maximum extension, Houston may not give him that money.
“As Tim implied, it is clear the Rockets are not offering Durant the two-year, $120 million max he is eligible for, otherwise the deal would be done,” Windhorst wrote. “Durant has said on the record he sees himself staying in Houston.
“There is clearly some haggling going on beneath the max, and the number could very well be predicated on what happens with Eason as the Rockets manage the apron. There probably isn’t drama here, but it is worth pointing out Durant probably doesn’t fear unrestricted free agency either.”
The Rockets aren’t in a dire rush to extend Durant compared to Eason. The 6-foot-8 forward was recently predicted by ESPN’s Bobby Marks to land a four-year, $80 million extension.
Regardless, Durant will enter the season in perhaps the best situation in years. He isn’t on a superteam or forming an established star trio, but he’s on a team that just went 52-30 and captured the second seed in the Western Conference.
The Rockets are built to win a championship, or at least contend, even with Fred VanVleet likely out for the season due to a torn ACL. If they can’t figure out a way to keep Durant in Houston for the next few seasons, the trade that originally favored the Rockets could turn the other direction.