Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets superstar, has agreed to a two-year, $90 million contract extension, a deal that includes a player option for the 2027-28 season.
This strategic move solidifies Durant’s future with the Rockets while enhancing their championship prospects.
Details about the extension
Kevin Durant, eligible for a maximum two-year, $120 million extension, opted to sign for $90 million, leaving $30 million on the table. This decision will allow the Houston Rockets to maintain salary cap flexibility to strengthen their roster around Durant and young stars like Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson.
With this extension, Durant’s contract will now span three years and total $144.7 million, including his $54.7 million salary for the 2025-26 season. Notably, his career earnings of $598.2 million make him the NBA’s highest earner, surpassing LeBron James’ $583.9 million.
Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets
Kevin Durant joined the Houston Rockets in July through a record-setting seven-team trade, the largest in NBA history, which sent Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, No. 10 draft pick Khaman Maluach, and second-round picks Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea to the Phoenix Suns. The trade transformed Houston, the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed last season, into a legitimate title contender. Pairing Durant, a two-time NBA champion and two-time Finals MVP, with Houston’s young core creates a strong blend of experience and potential.
Kevin Durant’s on-court impact
A 15-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer, Kevin Durant remains a scoring juggernaut at 37. In the previous season with the Suns, he averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 62 games. His shooting on off-the-dribble jumpers addresses key weaknesses in Houston’s offense, which ranked 27th in effective field goal percentage on off-the-dribble jumpers and 24th on all jumpers last season.
Chasing scoring milestones
Kevin Durant ranks eighth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list and could surpass Wilt Chamberlain and Dirk Nowitzki this season by scoring 990 points. His 16 consecutive seasons averaging at least 25 points per game trail only LeBron James (20 seasons) for the longest in league history. He also holds the highest career points-per-game average in Thunder, Nets, and Suns history, and the second-highest in Warriors history behind Chamberlain.
Houston’s offseason overhaul
Beyond Kevin Durant’s extension, the Houston Rockets have been active, securing new contracts with coach Ime Udoka, Fred VanVleet, Steven Adams, and Jabari Smith Jr. They added Dorian Finney-Smith, Clint Capela, and Josh Okogie in free agency and re-signed veterans Jae’Sean Tate, Aaron Holiday, and Jeff Green. Houston are poised for a strong campaign, starting with their season opener against the defending champion Thunder on Tuesday.