Report: Rockets prefer to extend Tari Eason before finalizing Kevin Durant deal

Forward Kevin Durant was easily the Houston Rockets’ most notable offseason acquisition. Houston traded its leading scorer from last season — guard Jalen Green — along with forward Dillon Brooks and other assets in exchange for Durant.

With all the Rockets gave up to acquire the 37-year-old, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they want to sign him to an extension and avoid losing the forward for nothing in the 2026 offseason. However, Houston reportedly would prefer to first iron out a deal with youngster Tari Eason before it turns its attention to Durant.

“I’ve likewise heard that the Rockets would prefer to secure an extension with Tari Eason before finalizing their widely expected two-year pact with Kevin Durant,” Jake Fischer wrote.

“If Durant’s deal gets done first, that’s no real issue. Durant can only sign for a maximum of two more seasons in accordance with the league’s over-38 rule after he turned 37 on Sept. 29.”

Durant is set to be an unrestricted free agent next summer. So, if he and the Rockets can’t come to terms on a deal, that would run the risk of another one of the league’s 30 teams signing him on the open market.

However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand why the Rockets want to extend Eason as well. He’s gotten better and his role has gotten bigger with every passing season in the league, and he could have quite a robust market as a restricted free agent next summer if he hits the open market.

Maybe the Rockets want to get Eason’s extension squared away first because he will be a lot less expensive to retain than Durant in terms of annual salary. For as much of a proven NBA player as Eason is, he’s not on the same wavelength as Durant from a talent standpoint. After all, he hasn’t even been a consistent starter at the highest level, as he’s started just 21 of the 161 regular-season games he’s played with Houston up to this point.

It’s also possible that the Rockets are prioritizing an Eason extension because he’s a whole lot younger than Durant and could be an important part of the team for many years to come. Eason hasn’t even celebrated his 25th birthday yet, and he was drafted not long ago with a first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

With any luck, the Rockets will ink both Durant and Eason to extensions sooner rather than later and not have to worry about their futures after the coming season.