Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant has agreed to a two-year, $90 million contract extension, with a player option for 2027-28, his business partner and Boardroom CEO Rich Kleiman told ESPN on Sunday.
Durant was eligible for a maximum contract extension of $120 million over two years but 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.
The 37-year-old Durant now holds the record for the highest career earnings in NBA history at $598.2 million based on current and future salaries, surpassing LeBron James ($583.9 million). Durant is earning $54.7 million this season and now has a total of three years and $144.7 million on his contract.
The Rockets acquired Durant in July as part of the largest trade in NBA history, a historic seven-team deal that sent Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, No. 10 overall pick Khaman Maluach and second-round picks Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea to the Phoenix Suns. The addition of Durant elevated the Rockets — the reigning No. 2 seed in the Western Conference — as a legitimate NBA title contender, teaming the two-time champion and two-time Finals MVP with young stars Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson.
A 15-time All-Star, Durant gives the Rockets a premier jump shooter and shot creator who fits seamlessly into the lineup. He shot an NBA-best 49.7% on jumpers and 53.1% on midrange shots last season and had the best shooting percentage on off-the-dribble jumpers (50.9%), according to GeniusIQ.
Those are areas where Durant will make a consistent impact for the Rockets, who ranked 27th in effective field goal percentage on off-the-dribble jumpers and 24th in effective field goal percentage on all jumpers, according to GeniusIQ. The Rockets also ranked seventh in isolations per game but were 27th in points per direct isolation.
Last season, Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 62 games with the Suns. The future Hall of Famer has averaged at least 25 points, 50% field goal shooting and 40% on 3-pointers in three straight seasons, the longest streak in NBA history, according to ESPN Research.
Durant ranks eighth in NBA career points and can pass Wilt Chamberlain and Dirk Nowitzki this season if he scores at least 990 points. He has averaged at least 25 points per game in 16 consecutive seasons, the most in league history behind James (20 straight seasons). Durant has the most career points per game in Oklahoma City Thunder history, Brooklyn Nets history and Suns history and has the second-best career points per game in Golden State Warriors history, trailing Chamberlain.
The Rockets have completed significant offseason business besides the Durant trade and extension. They reached new deals with coach Ime Udoka, Fred VanVleet, Steven Adams and Jabari Smith Jr., acquired Dorian Finney-Smith, Clint Capela and Josh Okogie in free agency, and re-signed veterans Jae’Sean Tate, Aaron Holiday and Jeff Green.
Houston has the fifth-best odds to win this year’s NBA title at 14-1 at ESPN BET. The Rockets open their regular season Tuesday night on the road against the defending champion Thunder.