Kevin Porter Jr. deserves a contract extension, and the Houston Rockets seem to finally buy in.

Keep in mind that Kevin Porter Jr. is regarded as a player with a ton of God-given talent and limitless potential. It's just that over his brief NBA career, he has experienced a number of simply odd situations and setbacks.

First, Porter appears to have a problem with authority, and some of his off-court behavior has raised questions. Because of these, many NBA observers appear to believe that the Rockets shouldn't extend Porter's deal, at least according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

“I think there are mixed opinions internally. And, you know, frankly, externally the opinion I get most often is the Rockets should not give him an extension,” MacMahon said on a podcast earlier this month.

Porter Jr. actually entered the NBA with a lot of promise. The Milwaukee Bucks initially selected Porter near the end of the first round during the 2019 NBA Draft. Later, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired him. After his tenure with the Cavaliers eventually ended, Cleveland dealt Porter away to Houston for next to nothing.

Looking back, though, the 2021–22 season was likely his strongest season thus far in his career. Porter averaged 15.6 points, 6.2 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game while starting all 61 of his games. He was third on the team in scoring behind Christian Wood and Jalen Green. The former USC Trojan has actually improved over his two seasons in Houston.

Fast forward to the 2022 NBA offseason, and reports claim that Kevin Porter Jr. and the Rockets have a shared interest in a contract extension. Remember that Porter is set to begin the last year of his rookie contract in 2022-2023. He may become a restricted free agent in 2023 if the Rockets choose not to extend him. If the Rockets do not extend him, however, it gives them a lot of flexibility next summer, where they also risk losing him for nothing.

If one asks Porter, however, he'd rather stay put in Houston.

“At the beginning of the season, I put too much pressure on myself thinking about that (extension),” Porter said earlier last season. “Once I eased my mind off of it, I started to play better…I love Houston. They love me. So I’m sure I’ll be here for a minute.”

Looking ahead, Porter can form a potentially explosive young core together with Green, big man Alperen Sengun, and rookie Jabari Smith, Jr. That presents an intriguing future for the Rockets.

Objectively speaking, Porter puts the Rockets in a strong position for future excellence. Assuming he stays out of trouble off the court, there is no reason for the Rockets to let him go.