Kevin Durant 'Understood' He'd 'Be Sacrificing Money on' Rockets Contract After Trade
Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant's two-year, $90 million contract extension is slightly below the maximum deal he was eligible for, but at this stage in his career, he's content to make less money for the greater good.
Durant's business partner and Boardroom CEO Rich Kleiman told ESPN's Shams Charania on Sunday that Durant was well aware that he wouldn't be signing the two-year, $120 million max extension he was eligible for when he chose the Rockets as his trade destination from the Phoenix Suns.
According to Charania, Kleiman said that Durant "understood when he chose the Rockets as a trade destination that he would be sacrificing money on a new deal -- in this case around $30 million -- so that the two sides could partner for the long term and give the franchise team-building flexibility."
Charania noted that Sunday's extension gives Durant the record for the highest career earnings in NBA history at $598.2 million based on current and future salaries, slightly ahead of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James' $583.9 million. The 37-year-old will make $54.7 million this season and now has a total of three years and $144.7 million remaining on his contract.
Durant is joining an impressive young core in Houston that includes All-Star center Alperen Şengün and first-team All-Defensive wing Amen Thompson. The Athletic's David Aldridge explained that the former NBA MVP wasn't hesitant to sacrifice money on his contract extension because "he wants to win, and leaving money on the table enables the Rockets a little more financial flexibility, which will be needed during his extension seasons."
Şengün's five-year, $185 million extension is set to go into effect this season. Thompson will be eligible for a rookie contract extension after this year and is expected to be a key member of the rotation. Aldridge noted that Houston is "expected to reach an agreement" with forward Tari Eason on a rookie extension before Monday's deadline, and veteran point guard Fred VanVleet is "almost certain to exercise" his a $25 million player option for the 2026-27 season after suffering a torn ACL that will likely cause him to miss the entire 2025-26 campaign.
Durant's team-friendly deal will allow the Rockets to maintain their talented roster for years to come, and the team could be one of the top contenders in the Western Conference going forward.
