Should Durant wait a bit longer? The Rockets plan to prioritize extending Eason first: expected to sign a 4-year deal with a salary lower than Jabari's.

On October 6th Beijing time, NBA reporter Jake Fischer stated that the Rockets are leaning towards completing Eason’s extension first, then finalizing a two-year contract with Durant. The Rockets hope to clarify their financial commitments after Eason’s renewal. A week ago, Fischer also reported that the general consensus was Durant would eventually re-sign with the Rockets, while Eason’s chances of extension seemed less certain than Durant’s.

Fischer explained that Jabari Smith’s previous 5-year, $122 million extension with the Rockets “is likely to influence the terms of Eason’s extension.” Some salary cap strategists estimate Eason’s new deal will span four years with an average annual salary below Jabari’s $24.4 million. Additionally, since both Sengun and Jalen Green had player options in their extensions, Eason’s contract “might also include a player option in the fourth year.”

Durant is the Rockets’ key acquisition this offseason, but his contract is currently in its final year. However, all signs indicate he will sign a maximum two-year, $122 million extension under the NBA’s “38-and-over” rule. Both the team and this future Hall of Famer aim to compete for championships this season and beyond.

Providing Durant with the right supporting cast is essential to achieving this goal, and Eason is exactly such a dependable role player. His contract expires after this season, making him a restricted free agent.

This 2022 first-round pick just completed the best season of his career—averaging 12.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game, with a shooting percentage of 48.7% and a three-point accuracy of 34.2%.

As a forward, Eason’s ability to shoot from outside makes him a matchup challenge for opponents and helps maximize the offensive spacing when paired with Durant.

For the Rockets, the ideal scenario is for this duo to continue playing together beyond next season.

Achieving this requires securing extensions with both players individually. According to reports, even though Durant is the team’s star, the Rockets still prefer to finalize Eason’s extension first.