When Houston agreed last week to a trade that will bring 15-time NBA All-Star Kevin Durant to the Rockets, the team rebuffed attempts to include forward Jabari Smith Jr. in the deal.

On Sunday came reports of just how much Houston values Smith as part of the Rockets’ future. The Houston Chronicle, NBA.com and ESPN reported Smith and the NBA team have agreed on a five-year, $122 million contract extension. The contract will be fully guaranteed.

Smith has one season, at $12.3 million, remaining on his rookie deal, signed after Houston selected him from Auburn with the third choice in the 2022 NBA Draft. The extension could keep Smith with the Rockets through the 2030-31 season.

During the 2024-25 season, Smith played in 57 regular-season games, with 39 starts. In his first two seasons, the 6-foot-11 forward had started all 155 games in which he had played. Smith started the first 33 games of the 2024-25 season until he broke a bone in his left hand at practice and did not play between Jan. 1 and Feb. 21.

During his third NBA season, Smith averaged 12.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists. In his NBA career, Smith has averaged 13.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 212 regular-season games.

The Rockets posted a 52-30 regular-season record to make the playoffs for the first time in Smith’s career during the 2024-25 season. Houston lost a seven-game first-round series to the Golden State Warriors. The Rockets went 22-60 in Smith’s rookie season and 41-41 in his second.

Smith can sign the contract on July 6, when the NBA’s free-agent moratorium ends. That’s also when the Rockets trade for Durant will become official. Houston obtained Durant from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and five second-round picks. The Rockets picked Duke center Khaman Maluach on the Suns’ behalf on Wednesday night at No. 10.

Green started every game at shooting guard for Houston in the 2024-25 season, when he led the Rockets with a scoring average of 21.0 points per game. Brooks started 75 games at small forward and averaged 14.0 points per game.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.