I'm glad you asked. FVV 24/25 playoffs 18.7 pts 4.4 ast 4.1 reb 1st round exit 7 games James Harden 24/25 playoffs 18.7 pts 9.1 ast 5.4 reb 1st round exit 7 games Do you understand how numbers work? Which player was better?
“Of course BOTH Cam and Reed will bust out this year! Ime was holding their greatness back! Remember that game or two that they started? BOOM! That’s all the proof you need! There’s no chance that either of them will fail to become a productive starter with no significant flaws! It was meant to be! Written in the very stars!” - 90% of ClutchFans
I have a fleeting hope that couldn’t happen before today that KD gets Harden on the phone and make some magic happen. Nets failed because of injuries and Kyrie not because they weren’t great. They only played 17 games together as a group in almost 2 seasons. If Harden came here and if this is successful I could see Harden and Durant playing here for not just 3 seasons and on team friendly deals. KD lives bball and I think both players want a legacy.
After the beautiful Steven Adams signing, can’t wait to see what contract Stone comes up with for FVV. That’s the next domino to fall.
There's quiet a few moving parts here but the general answer is that there's nothing in the CBA that limits them from extending, the only problem is that if they extend for more serious money and if KD also extends for big money then the Rockets will be in the tax starting in 26-27 season. The big factor is obviously : how much? I think most reasonable people agree that neither player are like max extension rookies and they're not represented by Clutch or something, so assuming that they both are happy with staying in Houston (uncertain but lets assume so, certainly they have far less reason to be upset then say, Cam Whitmore.) then the question is the number, Tari especially Houston might have a real chance to squeeze because 1. He's older 2. he's had two straight season with a weird lingering injury. 3. being a lower pick means he hasn't made nearly as much money, it's entirely plausible that they get Tari south of 20m a year depending on some luck and how they feel about the injury. (useful reference, Naz Reid was extended for a starting salary of 12m ) Jabari is a bigger wild card being younger and higher draft coming out and healthier, it might end up being some perception of self issue, though from how he talks and stuff I don't get the impression that he feel like he should be a superstar and get his own team or something, and he's represented by a family friend (his agent is the son of his father's agent and pretty small time.), so there's also a chance it's not something wild. Also, the other question is are they extending KD? at the max? or at a lower number? obviously if they just win a ring this year and KD retire or something there's no question about any of this, but let's say he extend for 2 years at the max, then we have a little bit of a problem for two years for sure, especially assuming Amen Thompson WOULD get something close to the max rookie extension. but again, there's nothing that says they can't do that, just that they'll pay a ton of tax and be pretty inflexible during that period (but they have almost all their needs covered.) So basically if we assume everyone extend (KD adds two more year and Fred decline and get 3 year) then. 2025-26 (upcoming season): no problem at all, they can probably stay under the tax line even. 2026-27: almost certainly a tax team, hopefully under the second apron, Jabari / Tari extension kicks in 2027-28: probably a second apron team with very little flexibility Amen / Cam(?) extension kicks in 2028-29: you'd assume Fred and KD would age out by this point as both of their contract is up and you go from here, you'll have Sheppard extension kick in at this point too, also you will need to make a decision to extend Alpy or not at this point. So it seems most likely the plan is to tag two more years of KD on, and extend Fred on a new 3 year deal, and the next major pivot point will be the summer of 2028, where you might have huge cap space is both KD and Fred leave / retire because the cap is going up and Reed's hopefully extension (means he'd end up being good) hasn't kicked in yet. Short term, the obvious question now is Jock and Aaron Holiday, especially Jock I think the odds are he'll get waived or moved probably, especially since they didn't trade Jabari and he'll play some at the 5 too. as long as they're reasonably confident in Adam's health this is way too much for an emergency center.
Maybe sign Luke Kennard or Dennis Schröder? Gary Trent Jr. could be interesting. I wouldnt mind at all to cash in on our future assets, but only for a real star that is under 28 years old...
