Why the Kevin Porter Jr. extension is a massive win for the Houston Rockets 

The Houston Rockets and Kevin Porter Jr. have finally agreed to a contract extension, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The four-year, $82.5 million contract will tie Porter to the Rockets through the 2026-27 season. 

At first glance, it appears that Porter will be making $20 million a season, but the devil is always in the details. Following the initial report, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported the structure of the deal. According to Charania, only $15.86 million of the deal is guaranteed, and it all comes in the first year. 

There’s a lot to unpack here, but very bluntly, this is one of the least player-friendly extensions I’ve ever seen. Under no circumstances should Porter have considered signing this extension.

Why Kevin Porter Jr. lost his extension negotiations 

As a player, the whole point of signing an extension is to guarantee security. By giving up a chance to test the market, the player is deflating their value. In turn, the organization guarantees them financial security. It’s a win for both sides, the team saves a little money, and the player has money locked up. 

Kevin Porter Jr. did none of that. The contract is even more perplexing because it puts a relatively mundane cap on his future earnings. In essence, the Rockets gave Porter a one-year extension with three consecutive team options at around $20 million. If Porter falters or gets hurt or the Rockets want to go big-game hunting, they can cut him without a second thought, but if Porter breaks out, then they have him for relative peanuts. 

Next: Why Kevin Porter Jr. may have left a lot of money on the table