The Houston Rockets are one of the biggest winners of the offseason after trading for Kevin Durant, but they might hesitate to make any more big decisions.
Over the past few weeks, the Rockets have made some big moves to try and ascend into the championship contender category. After falling in seven games to the Golden State Warriors in the first round, GM Rafael Stone didn’t hesitate to make a huge move, swinging for the fences with his deal for Durant.
While it hurt the Rockets’ depth a bit, some other free agency signings eliminated those concerns. With added veteran talent and young stars still developing, the Rockets are projected to be one of the West’s top teams next season.
However, the Rockets also have another big decision to make this offseason. Tari Eason will be up for his rookie extension, and the Rockets must decide what they want to do with the highly coveted young wing.
In a recent article from The Athletic, John Hollinger proposed that Eason would likely get something in the range of three years for $65-70 million if Houston did a deal this offseason. However, Hollinger explained that Houston might want to wait until next summer to secure Eason’s future.
Considering Houston’s added veteran talent, Eason could be a bit of an odd man out next season. While he has some clear talent, if Eason is squeezed to the fringes of the rotation, it could be much easier to move him while he is still on his rookie deal.
In any case, Eason will likely get a nice payday after his rookie contract; it’s simply up to the Rockets if that will come in the summer of 2025 or 2026.
