Even before the regular season came to a close, the Houston Rockets made headlines by acquiring Kevin Durant in a blockbuster seven-team deal with the Phoenix Suns. The move marked one of the boldest trades in recent NBA history. As Durant aims to extend his career as long as he can, the Rockets can use this opportunity to strengthen their roster while maintaining flexibility for the future.
However, NBA insider Jake Fischer shared insight on Marc Stein’s Substack regarding Houston’s plans before officially finalizing Durant’s contract. Fischer revealed that the Rockets were keen on securing a long-term extension with forward Tari Eason first.
“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,” Fischer said.
Fischer elaborated that Eason’s potential new deal would likely be a four-year extension. The Houston team wanted to complete to manage their salary cap efficiently.
“Eason would likely receive a four-year deal if an extension can be hashed out… Houston would relish knowing exactly how the books look with an extended Eason before doing the two-year deal that Durant himself announced on Monday that he expects to land,” he added.
Brian Martin Lists Kevin Durant’s Trade Among Top Offseason Storylines
According to NBA.com’s Brian Martin, Durant’s move to Houston was one of the biggest narratives of the offseason. Martin ranked Durant’s move to Houston as the second most notable storyline among the top 20 highlights of the 2025 NBA offseason.
“After their first-round playoff exit, the Rockets made the biggest trade of not just the summer, but the first-ever seven-team trade in league history, to land Kevin Durant from Phoenix in exchange for Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green and future draft picks. Durant enters his 18th NBA season as the eighth leading scorer in league history,” Marting wrote.
Despite being 37, Durant continues to play at an elite level and shows no signs of slowing down. Last season with the Suns, he averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. The Rockets are now focusing on shaping their offense around Alperen Sengun and Durant while continuing to assess the development of their young core.
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