Durant envisions signing extension with Rockets

HOUSTON -- Kevin Durant said he envisions himself signing a contract extension with the Rockets and described how a bond and respect level with coach Ime Udoka led him to engineer a trade to bring him to the team.

Durant is in the final year of a contract that will pay him $55 million and is eligible to sign a new deal. There was some belief that Durant would work out an extension with the Rockets as a part of Houston's deal in July to acquire him from the Suns.

While there have been discussions, Durant is starting training camp with no deal in place.

"I do see myself signing a contract extension," Durant said Monday, his 37th birthday. "I can't tell you exactly when that will happen, but I do see it happening."

Rockets general manager Rafael Stone declined to comment on the state of the contract talks.

Durant is eligible to sign a two-year extension for more than $120 million if he were to sign for the maximum. The Rockets, who are in the midst of contract extension talks with wing Tari Eason and recently extended forward Jabari Smith Jr. on a five-year deal for $122 million, are faced with managing their expanding payroll over the next few years. That could factor into the Durant talks.

Because of his short-term contract status, Durant was able to work with the Suns on finding a trade partner over the summer. He worked with Udoka when both were with the Nets, and the relationship played a role.

"I wasn't expecting to leave Phoenix that quickly, but that's just the nature of the game," Durant said. "So I quickly just thought about who I was comfortable with. ... Ime has always been one of those guys that understood what I brought to the table and my mentality and my approach to the game. He always respected that and gave me my space to be me. So that was one of the first things I thought about."

Several times, Durant mentioned how his "body type" fits with the Rockets roster loaded with long and rangy athletes.

Houston has the potential to play some of the tallest lineups in the league this season with the addition of the 6-foot-11 Durant. His ability to be a ball handler is also relevant with the Rockets losing starting point guard Fred VanVleet to a torn ACL last week.

Durant and Udoka both said Monday that the plan will be for Durant to take on some of the ballhandling duties in the wake of VanVleet's injury.

The Rockets are Durant's fifth team in 19 years, and he said some of his breakups with teams have been "tough." But with two championships and an MVP award, plus a decorated international career, Durant has his own definition of his legacy.

"The definition of the word has just got confusing over the last few years to me," Durant said.

"So to me it's just always about impacting and building good relationships within the organization. I just feel like every place that I've been from the outside looking in, it may have been a tough breakup from each team that I've gone to, but behind the scenes I've built so many great relationships with people and lifelong friendships that have been formed from playing in these organizations."

Also on Monday, new Rockets wing Dorian Finney-Smith discussed his recovery from offseason ankle surgery before coming to Houston from the Lakers in free agency.

Finney-Smith has been running but did not discuss a timeline, and Stone simply said he was on schedule. But Finney-Smith has not been cleared for basketball activities and will likely miss time to start the season.