Rockets may have learned a Jonathan Kuminga lesson with Jabari Smith Jr. extension

As the Houston Rockets made the splash move of acquiring Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns, their extension of emerging forward Jabari Smith Jr. this offseason may have gone somewhat under the radar.

Yet, from an organization perspective, this move has massive implications insofar as it allowed the team to prevent a potentially disastrous negotiation process in restricted free agency for Smith, suggesting they may have learned a lesson from their rival's Jonathan Kuminga predicament.

The Golden State Warriors, this offseason, have been financially handicapped by their handling of the Kuminga situation, and, now, as they await a resolution, the rest of the league has moved on without them in free agency.

Rockets avoided a potentially disastrous scenario in extending Jabari Smith Jr. early

Smith, through his three seasons in Houston, has already grown into a dynamic player and a massive piece in the team's rotation. Last season, despite being limited to just 57 games as a result of a hand injury, he managed to average 12.2 points, seven rebounds and 1.1 assists while presenting a staunch presence on the defensive interior.

Although Smith has not yet developed into a fully dynamic scorer, his massive, 6'11" build and adaptable skill-set have made him integral to the style of basketball Houston evidently intends to play. Apart from his post-injury ramp-up last season, Smith has also started every game he has played in for the team.

Therefore, it quickly became clear that, when his rookie contract was up, Smith was going to demand to be paid like a starter.

In an offseason that has seen players like Kuminga and Josh Giddey demand an annual value near $30 million, Smith's $24.4 million average annual value over the course of his five-year extension seems like a bargain.

Moreover, with a Durant extension now looming next offseason, the Rockets avoided having to manage two potentially contentious or dicey situations at the same time, leaving their cap sheet concrete to deal with extending their new star.

Golden State, however, ultimately forced the issue until the last minute, fluctuating Kuminga's role within the rotation and guaranteeing his dissatisfaction heading into restricted free agency by sidelining him entirely at the end of this last regular season.

Now, the Warriors have an unhappy young player who they spent a high draft pick on, while the Rockets have theirs locked up for the foreseeable future with a deal that is agreeable to both the player and the organization.

While it was likely impossible for Houston to foresee just how poorly this offseason would play out for Golden State, they have now avoided the issue entirely with a smart move.