Bontemps and Windhorst: The latest intel on the Lakers, Knicks, Rockets and more

This is highest hold play successful the NBA.

Or, arsenic 1 cause told ESPN this week: "The torture chamber."

The deadline for extensions for astir eligible players is Monday astatine 6 p.m. ET. At this point, it's commonplace for determination to beryllium pessimism astir deals getting done. But compromises -- and deals, on with them -- bash hap regularly.

That said, adjacent by mean standards, determination is simply a lot of pessimism close now.

Here's why: There's the continued adaptation to the apron system, which has caused teams to beryllium adjacent much cautious astir semipermanent spending. And past there's besides a star-studded escaped cause people successful the summertime of 2027, erstwhile Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Donovan Mitchell, Anthony Davis and others could each beryllium disposable to motion with immoderate team.

The deals that bash -- and don't -- hap implicit the adjacent fewer days acceptable the signifier for aboriginal negotiations, and they'll awesome what escaped bureau could look similar adjacent summer.

So here's a look astatine respective of those situations, including an hold that, surprisingly, still isn't done involving a aboriginal inner-circle Hall of Famer who changed teams this summer.

Will Kevin Durant hold talks person liftoff successful Houston?

Tim Bontemps: The Rockets, nether wide manager Rafael Stone, person done an fantabulous occupation of managing their wage operation -- and that volition nary uncertainty play a relation successful however Durant's declaration concern plays out, but besides rookie standard hold campaigner Tari Eason's.

With Fred VanVleet present apt to opt into his $25 cardinal woody for adjacent play aft tearing his ACL past month, the Rockets person astir $70 cardinal to get some Durant and Eason signed and stay nether the dreaded 2nd luxury taxation apron -- which volition let Houston to proceed adding to a roster it hopes is bully capable to vie with the Oklahoma City Thunder successful the Western Conference.

If these negotiations were arsenic elemental as, "Give Kevin each the imaginable money" -- similar the Jimmy Butler III hold with the Golden State Warriors was aft his acquisition via commercialized successful February -- the woody astir apt would person been done already. As a result, the anticipation from rival teams is that Houston is trying to get deals done with some players and enactment beneath the 2nd apron adjacent summer.

Brian Windhorst: First off, the Butler hold with Golden State happened before the trade. It wasn't until the Warriors raised their monetary connection that Butler acquiesced connected his presumption that helium didn't privation to spell to the Warriors. An improved connection ...