Kevin Durant Reportedly Not Expected to Get Max Contract, Rockets Won't 'Go All-In'

The Houston Rockets reportedly aren't expected to give Kevin Durant a two-year, $122 million maximum contract extension after trading for the star forward.

"The Rockets aren't gonna go all-in, by all appearances and by what I've heard, they're not going all-in on an extension for Kevin Durant," ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported on The Hoop Collective (h/t CBS Sports' Robby Kalland). "Now, doesn't mean it won't happen, but there've been rumblings KD's not gonna push for the full max. I don't know that the Rockets are going to put anything on the table that's close to the max. I think the Rockets are -- like it's not ideal -- but I don't think they'd panic if they go into the season with Kevin Durant just on the contract that he's on, just on the expiring."

Houston acquired Durant as part of a seven-team swap on July 6, sending a package headlined by Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to the Phoenix Suns in return.

The 15-time All-Star shas a $54.7 million cap hit for his 2025-26 campaign, the final season of a four-year deal worth $194 million that he signed as a member of the Brooklyn Nets in 2021.

While the Rockets are still able to extend Durant anytime and prevent him from hitting unrestricted free agency in 2026, they may not be willing to hand him a max contract.

The 36-year-old's age should factor into Houston's decision, and the looming possibility of jumping into the second apron will likely be considered as well.

If Durant receives a two-year extension with a first-year salary of $57.4 million and forward Tari Eason gets a rookie extension as well, the Rockets will be a second-apron team during the 2026-27 season (h/t ESPN's Bobby Marks).

Still, Houston could decide that the financial commitments are worth it in order to contend for a championship.

Durant should provide a boost to a Rockets squad that earned the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference standings with a 52-30 record last season, as he didn't show many signs of slowing down during his 2024-25 campaign with Phoenix.

The four-time scoring champion averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 blocks per game on 52.7/43.0/83.9 shooting splits.