Latest Tari Eason contract projection should be music to Rockets fans' ears

As the Houston Rockets enter the 2025-26 NBA season, their primary financial priority falls upon extending energizing young player Tari Eason as they attempt to continue to build out their young core.

While there is much uncertainty surrounding these negotiations, especially given their implications for the team's flexibility in re-signing Kevin Durant, Bleach Report's recent contract prediction for Eason, which has him signing a five-year, $110 million deal, represents a bit of an easier pill to swallow for Rockets fans everywhere.

While the deal would pay Eason close to his fair value, it would allow the team as much flexibility as possible moving forward, and, perhaps, this projection could come close to what the reality must ultimately be for Houston.

Tari Eason's contract number must stay low and be relatively long-term

Throughout his three seasons in Houston, Eason has cemented himself as one of the most electrifying bench defenders in the league and has become one of the most beloved players by the team's coaching staff on the roster.

Last season, through 57 games, Eason averaged twelve points, 6.4 points and 1.5 assists, taking another step forward on defense and taking on even more significant minutes for an increasingly deep Rockets squad.

This season, however, his looming contract situation has induced some uncertainty into his situation. Although the team has room to determine its fourth starter, which could be Eason if Durant were to move to the power forward spot, making Eason a starter would exponentially pump up the value he could demand in restricted free agency.

Moreover, the Rockets have already committed $122 million to Jabari Smith Jr. and $185 million to Alperen Sengun, and they will need to give Amen Thompson a similar payday in the near future.

Therefore, although Eason is one of the most important players on the team and certainly deserves his payday as well, the team likely cannot afford to both give him the money that Smith got and still afford the hefty extension that Durant could demand.

Moreover, the organization has made clear that they are prioritizing getting Eason's extension sorted out before negotiating Durant's, making this process perhaps even more contentious and painful than it would be otherwise if it gets drawn out unneccessarily.

Therefore, if the contract does end up at a reasonable amount around $110 milion, which is less than what Smith got, the organization could come away with a massive win and enhanced flexibility moving forward.