Rockets Unwilling To Offer Kevin Durant A Max Extension; Could Change Their Mind Next Season
The Rockets acquired Kevin Durant earlier this season via a trade that sent Jalen Green to the Suns. Following the trade, several sources speculated that Kevin Durant will look to extend his contract and plans to retire in Houston.
However, some sources believe there may be a few hiccups in Durant's contract extension talks. According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, the Rockets are not likely to offer Durant a max extension this summer and haven't gone all in on him at the moment.
He appeared on the latest episode of the Hoops Collective podcast and gave his opinion on the Rockets' future.
'The Rockets to me.. they've created a fascinating situation. But I agree, I think they're as well-positioned to have a long run as any franchise other than Oklahoma City. Despite the fact that they just went all in, they didn't go all in, they just made a trade to get Kevin Durant, who is going into year 18.'
'They did not go all in on the trade. They made a trade at a price that they were okay with, that did not sacrifice the long term. You know, Jalen Green was a second-round pick who didn't really pan out. Um, you know, we talked when they made the trade, if you're ranking the young players on the roster by future value, by long-term value, he might have been fifth or sixth on that list.'
'And then, you know, that they didn't really have like an immediate spot for the 10th overall pick in this year's draft. Hell, they couldn't squeeze the third overall pick in last year's draft into the rotation.'
'The Rockets aren't going to go all in. By all appearances and by what I've heard, they're not going all in on an extension for Kevin Durant. Now, doesn't mean it won't happen, but you know, there've been rumblings of, hey, KD doesn't, you know, he's not going to push for the full max.'
'Ummm, I don't know that the Rockets are going to put anything on the table that's close to the max. I think the Rockets are like it's not ideal, but I don't think they would panic if they go into the season with Kevin Durant just on the contract that he's on, just on the expiring deal.'
MacMahon has some solid sources in the front office of the Rockets; therefore, the information he has given on Durant is almost as good as confirmed. It will be interesting to see what Durant feels about this.
He could pull a Kawhi Leonard-type move like he did with the Raptors, where Leonard joined them for one season (2019) on an expiring contract, won them the championship with their young core, and left the next season for the Clippers.
Depending on what Durant and his representatives feel about this, Durant could take a call on his future. If he fails to win a championship, he may not see an offer from the Rockets that he would like. And if he does, he could still leave like Leonard did. Or he could even earn that max contract and retire in Houston eventually.
The Rockets also have a young core that is getting set for their extensions, like Tari Eason in 2025-26 and Amen Thompson the following year. Therefore, the Rockets need to decide between investing in an aging Kevin Durant for the long term or saving the salary cap space to pay the young stars what they deserve.
The Rockets are certainly an exciting team to watch in the 2025-26 season. This season could determine where the franchise is headed in the future.This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Aug 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a minute ago
- Yahoo
‘They have 24 months to milk the hell out of it': Will Son signing open up Asia for MLS?
South Korean baseball fans have long been accustomed to organizing their weekends around MLB schedules – now it is time for the country's soccer supporters to do the same with MLS. Son Heung-min has started his two-year contract with Los Angeles FC, coming just after the attacker helped Tottenham Hotspur become the biggest club in his homeland (even if claims of close to 13 million fans are surely wildly overexaggerated) and one of the biggest in his home continent. Now it is the time to see what he can do in Los Angeles on the field and what the club can do off it. Related: Son Heung-min makes instant impact in LAFC debut and hails MLS welcome 'They've got 24 months to milk the hell out of it,' Sasi Kumar, a former Singapore international and founder of sports marketing agency Red Card Global, told the Guardian. 'The commercial opportunities are obvious, staring LAFC in the face.' Son has been the main man in Asian soccer for years: a golden boot and Puskas award recipient who lifted one of European football's biggest trophies as a captain of a major club just months ago. Having one of the biggest stars in the world's most popular league for so long was a matter of national pride in Korea and appealed across Asia. It fueled his superstardom. Son has helped to ensure that, now, pretty much every talented young Korean star wants to go straight to England's top tier. MLS does not enjoy anywhere close to the same stature – there has traditionally been little interest in the league in Asia, and it was barely mentioned as a possible destination for the 33-year-old. There has been a debate in Korea going back a few years when and where Son should go – a club like Barcelona was the one often mentioned. Even when the forward struggled for form and fitness last season, there were still options in Europe, where most expected him to stay. A move to Saudi Arabia was always unlikely. For a player who has never played in the K-League, going to a rival Asian competition may not have gone down well in his homeland where he has been the face of more than 30 brands. Still, MLS was not, initially, a popular choice. 'At the beginning, the fans' reaction was divided as some wanted Son to stay in Europe and play in the Champions League for at least one more season,' said Lee Seung-mo, a Seoul-based author and journalist. 'However, after Son explained why he chose LAFC and MLS, now the majority of fans understand and support his decision.' Being based Stateside also makes sense ahead of the World Cup, likely to be Son's fourth and last appearance at the tournament. Lee admits that not all the fans who have watched Son in England will watch him in the US. 'It won't be 100% the same in MLS in terms of viewership as the Premier League has the most fans of any league but most Son fans will want to watch MLS.' Those years at the top of the game have made Son into such an icon in his homeland that he can transcend any competition he plays in. 'His image cuts across different demographics, geography – everything,' said Kumar. 'Whenever Spurs played you got Asians from all of Asia supporting him, he's such a loveable character, you didn't need to be a Spurs fan to like him,' LAFC has advantages. While MLS may not be the EPL, the USA is also not the UK. Economically, South Korea already has a strong connection with the US, sending almost 20% of exports in an export-based economy to the United States in 2024, compared to just 1% for Great Britain. 'The Korean market is so connected to the US; it is a huge market for Korean beauty products, electronics, cars, phones etc,' Kumar said. 'Son has provided a platform and opportunity to enter the market with a huge asset. The obvious thing for LAFC is to tour Asia and they should actively look in different markets for brand and content partnerships. LAFC's commercial team will be working overtime how to sell digital assets, image rights and work with global brands like Samsung and Kia.' Such Korean companies have always been involved in sports (the was – and, to a large extent, still is- based on corporate ownership and Hyundai has been hugely influential in the Korean Football Association over the years) and there should be plenty of knowhow on the opposite side. 'What is well known about American sports in general is that they are arguably the best in sports marketing, and I'm sure LAFC and MLS both will try their best in Korean market,' said Lee. The fact that LA have made such a big deal of the signing has gone down well. Steve Han is a LA-based Korean content lead for Fifa and host of Fairpoint podcast and has witnessed the excitement. 'At the introductory press conference, there were Korean journalists who attended with LAFC shirts on,' Han told the Guardian. 'For years, LAFC have already been one of the most well-branded clubs in MLS. Even the contents that the club pushed out so far have really got the fans excited. The stage is set for Son to put the icing on the cake now.'
Yahoo
a minute ago
- Yahoo
Defending flag football champion Orange Lutheran aims to achieve even more this season
Last year's theme for the Orange Lutheran flag football team was 'Set the Standard.' The Lancers did just that, finishing 23-2 and defeating Newport Harbor 20-18 to win the inaugural Southern Section Division 1 title and secure the No. 1 ranking in California. Coach Kristen Sherman revealed this season's theme is "Raise the Bar" and, having graduated only one starter, it looks like her team could be even better than a year ago. It may have to be if it wants to defend its crown as the talent throughout the Southland is deeper than ever. 'We're hoping to reach a higher level this year,' said Sherman, whose husband, Rod, is head coach of Orange Lutheran's football squad. 'These new rules change a lot. I may have preferred the old rules, but the girls like punting and returning, so I think it'll be more fun for them.' Since defensive players will now be able to line up six yards closer to the ball, an elite quarterback will be essential, and the Lancers have the best in Makena Cook, the reigning CIF player of the year. On Aug. 6, the two-sport athlete committed to Georgia for soccer, but her focus right now is on a repeat. 'We're definitely better ... but it's a clean slate,' Cook said after tossing six touchdown passes against host Long Beach Poly in a scrimmage Thursday — her first competitive game since November. As a sophomore last season, Cook passed for 6,611 yards and 97 touchdowns, 20 of them caught by All-CIF receiver Julia Oberholtzer (now a senior) who also led the defense with 114 flag pulls and eight interceptions. The Lancers open the season Wednesday at Woodbridge. Sherman once again filled the schedule with quality opponents, including a Sept. 4 clash with Irvine Northwood, which took the Division 2 title last fall thanks to Natalie Keith, who earned division player of the year honors after throwing for five touchdowns in the final against Trabuco Hills. Sherman predicted Trinity League competition will be a 'smack in the face.' JSerra's roster features three incoming freshmen who are members of the 15U junior national team — quarterback Katherine Meier and wide receiver/defensive backs Tessa Russell and Ava Irwin. Kendra Hansen will be a scoring threat every time she touches the ball for Mater Dei, and running the offense at Santa Margarita will be All-CIF senior Madi Lam, who quarterbacked her Conquer Chargers club team at the NFL Flag Championships in Canton, Ohio, in July. Division 1 finalist Newport Harbor graduated All-CIF quarterback Maia Helmar, but sophomore Scarlett Guyser will take over the position. Cooper Dick (a Texas Tech soccer commit) and Maddy Michel are set to be her primary targets. Skylie Cid led the team in touchdowns as a freshman. The Sailors beat Orange Lutheran in triple overtime in a tournament at Beckman over the summer, but Cook did not play. Huntington Beach has all the offensive firepower it needs to challenge Newport Harbor for Sunset League supremacy with the return of Roxie Shaia, who threw for 7,465 yards and 99 touchdowns in 2024, and receiver/safety Taylor Savage, who racked up 1,491 receiving yards. Last fall, Ventura lost a shootout to Huntington Beach in the Division 1 quarterfinals, but the Cougars could ride the arm of senior Ava Ortman to a deeper playoff run in 2025. Statistically, she was one of the best in the section with 6,974 yards, 110 touchdowns and a 141.2 rating. In its opener Thursday, Ventura takes on Camarillo, which has one of the top two-way players in Ventura County in Stella Alessi (41 touchdowns and 14 interceptions last season). Long Beach Poly will seek to three-peat in the Moore League, but it will be a taller task without All-CIF quarterback Kenzie Paimany, who tore her anterior cruciate ligament playing soccer. She threw for 60 touchdowns last year. The most versatile player for the Jackrabbits is senior receiver/linebacker Ki'ele Ho-Ching, who has committed to Oklahoma for softball. 'We're hoping she can come back towards the end of the season,' Poly coach Rob Shock said about Paimany. 'We take every game as a tough game. Nothing's given, everything's earned.' Lakewood St. Joseph suffered only one defeat in 22 games last year, however, the Jesters are poised to go further with junior signal-caller Lexi Loya (5,377 yards and 73 touchdowns last fall) throwing to sophomore receiver Jaclyn Brennan (76 catches for 985 yards and 16 touchdowns). The City Section is up to 93 teams, and the one to beat appears to be Narbonne, led by its All-City two-wayers Faith Ugoje, Shayla Rivera and Luna Orozco. The Gauchos beat King/Drew 7-0 for the Division I title last year and twice defeated the 2024 Open Division winner Banning in the summer. Ugoje was chosen Division I player of the year after rushing for 1,660 yards, catching 60 passes for 828 yards and scoring 23 touchdowns as a freshman under City coach of the year Sherrelle Holmes. Also contending for the Marine League crown will be is two-time Open finalist San Pedro. Teams to watch: Orange Lutheran, JSerra, Santa Margarita, Newport Harbor, Mater Dei, Huntington Beach, Northwood, Eastvale Roosevelt, Ventura, Narbonne, Lakewood St. Joseph, Aliso Niguel, Trabuco Hills, Anaheim Canyon. Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
USA Today
3 minutes ago
- USA Today
What chance does ESPN's FPI give LSU football of winning the SEC in 2025?
According to ESPN's 2025 College Football Power Index, LSU has a 3.5% of winning the SEC championship. The Tigers' chances rank No. 6. Reigning conference champion Georgia is second with a 26.9% chance behind Texas, which is at 34.1%. We'll get a good idea of where LSU stands among the nation's best teams early in the 2025 season. The Tigers open on the road at Clemson in week one against an explosive offense and defense loaded with NFL talent. By mid-October, LSU could have four ranked matchups under its belt. It welcomes Florida and South Carolina to Baton Rouge in weeks three and seven, respectively, and travels to Ole Miss in week five. LSU brought in the nation's top transfer portal class following the 2024 season and addressed its biggest needs, particularly at defensive back, edge rusher and wide receiver. Head coach Brian Kelly's staff also retained key returners, such as quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and linebacker Whit Weeks. LSU football's odds to win the SEC in 2025 According to BetMGM, LSU owns +750 odds to win the SEC. Gambling involves risk. Please only gamble with funds that you can comfortably afford to lose. While we do our utmost to offer good advice and information we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of gambling. We do our best to make sure all the information that we provide on this site is correct. However, from time to time mistakes will be made and we will not be held liable. Please check any stats or information if you are unsure how accurate they are. No guarantees are made with regards to results or financial gain. All forms of betting carry financial risk and it is up to the individual to make bets with or without the assistance of information provided on this site and we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of following the betting tips provided on this site. Past performances do not guarantee success in the future and betting odds fluctuate from one minute to the next. The material contained on this site is intended to inform, entertain and educate the reader and in no way represents an inducement to gamble legally or illegally or any sort of professional advice. Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. It is your sole responsibility to act in accordance with your local laws.
