Kevin Durant and Houston Rockets agree to two-year, $90 million extension
How much did Kevin Durant want to return to Texas – the state where he played his college ball – and be part of a team with a legitimate title shot in the next two years? Here is the answer:
Durant took about $30 million less than his max in agreeing to a two-year, $90 million contract extension with the Houston Rockets, a preliminary deal reported by Shams Charania of ESPN and since confirmed by the team. The second year of this extension is a player option. Durant is in the final year of his current $54.7 million contract and is now stuck with the Rockets for two more years — and is taking a nearly $10 million per year cut from that salary to be part of a contender in Houston.
Durant was expected to get less than the maximum from Houston, but the expectation this summer was that he still wanted a nine-figure contract extension. This came in slightly below that number, but it gives the Rockets flexibility in building the roster over the next two years, such as signing Tari Eason to an extension but staying under the second tax apron.
This contract technically puts Durant ahead of LeBron James in all-time career earnings, based on past and current contracts: Durant is now at $598.2 million, while LeBron is “only” at $583.9 million (however, if LeBron plays another season after this one, he will take the lead again if the contract is worth $14.3 million, which is less than next season’s mid-level exception).
Durant had Houston on his list of preferred destinations where he wanted to be traded from Phoenix last summer, and he is perfect for the team’s needs: shooting and offensive creation in the half court. The Rockets had an elite defense and a wealth of young players and elite athletes – Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun top that list – but their half-court offense became stagnant and ineffective (22nd in the league in half-court offense via Cleaning the Glass). Durant single-handedly changes that and brings shooting to the table.
Durant will also have a little more this season in terms of shot creation after Houston lost point guard Fred VanVleet for the season to a torn anterior cruciate ligament. As Thompson and Reed Sheppard take over the point guard roles, more will also fall on Durant’s shoulders.
Durant hopes to retire in Houston, he said Chris Mannix of SI.com.
“I want to stay here as long as I can, play the last few years of my career. That’s the intent. I know, I said that about Phoenix, too, but that’s the intent. I’d love to do it. I mean, I’m 37 years old and I’m going to play 19 years in the league. I want to solidify myself in one place and build a team with a group of guys that’s going to be around for a while. So hopefully that’s the case.”
Last season, in a difficult season for the Suns, Durant, 37, still averaged 26.6 points, six rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 43 percent from 3-point range. He’s still one of the best pure getters in the game and that’s exactly what the Rockets need.
Durant and the Rockets kick off the season Tuesday night in Oklahoma City, after watching KD’s former team raise a banner and get their championship rings. You can catch the game at 7:30 ET as the NBA returns to NBC and debuts Peacock.