Rockets Reportedly Believe Kevin Durant Will Sign Long-Term Contract After Suns Trade
After trading for Kevin Durant on Sunday, the Houston Rockets are only guaranteed one year of the 15-time All-Star before he's a free agent, but the team reportedly believes he will be around for longer than that.
Per The Athletic's Kelly Iko and Sam Amick, "team sources said there is a strong belief that this will be a long-term partnership."
Durant is entering the final year of a four-year, $194.22 million deal he signed with the Brooklyn Nets in 2021. ESPN's Bobby Marks noted that he will be eligible to sign a $122 million extension in July and can add an additional $2 million to that extension if he waits six months to sign.
Though the San Antonio Spurs reportedly were Durant's preferred team, the Rockets, along with the Miami Heat, were also among his favorite landing spots. Had he been traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, a team he was not interested in, a long-term extension would likely be a stretch, but landing with a team he wanted to play for should bode well for Houston.
Durant will be 37 by the start of the 2025-26 season. While signing a player of that age to a long-term extension is typically a risk, Durant has continued to play at a high level despite his age and various injuries. He's coming off a season in which he averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, shooting 52.7 percent from the field and 43 percent from deep.
Durant will join a young squad highlighted by budding stars like Amen Thompson and Alperen Şengün. The former MVP and two-time champion will bring much-needed experience to a team on the rise.
The Rockets had their best finish since 2019 this season, going 52-30 to claim the No. 2 seed in the West. While they lost a seven-game series against the Golden State Warriors in the first round, it's clear they are well on their way to being a championship contender.
Adding Durant to the mix only expedites the process, and Houston will look to keep him around for years to come.
