As the Houston Rockets have made a number of moves this offseason, including their blockbuster acquisition of superstar scorer Kevin Durant, the organization has struck the tenuous balance of competing now while keeping the majority of their young core intact.
Yet, as young forward Tari Eason enters the final season of his rookie contract, the team may now need to have a reckoning, as Sam Vecenie of the Game Theory Podcast has noted that the extension they gave to Jabari Smith Jr. could cause serious issues with extending Eason.
While Smith's extension is rather team-friendly, they likely cannot afford to both extend Durant beyond this year and give Eason what Smith earned, thereby leaving the door open for a contentious restricted free agency that could limit their ability not only to sign Eason but also Durant.