Shams Charania said early on Sunday that Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets had reached an agreement on a two-year, $90 million deal. The deal comes with a player option for the 2027–2028 campaign and is completely guaranteed.
Durant knew
going into the trade to Houston that he would have to forgo a new max contract, in this case around $30 million extra, for the two parties to collaborate for the long term and to give the team flexibility. Even though he was eligible for a maximum contract extension of $120 million over two years Durant took a pay cut which leaves Houston enough space for Tari Eason to be extended while still being under the second apron. Additionally, the extension occurs only before the deadline of Monday, October 20, which is the day before the regular season begins.
The 37-year-old Durant now holds the record for the most career earnings in NBA history, surpassing LeBron James ($583.9 million) with $598.2 million based on existing and future salaries. Durant is earning $54.7 million this season with three years and $144.7 million remaining on his contract. The Rockets have a premier jump shooter and shot maker in Durant, a 15-time All-Star who fits in perfectly with the team’s lineup. He shot an NBA-best 49.7 percent on jumpers and 53.1 percent on midrange shots last season, and he had the highest shooting percentage on off-the-dribble jumpers (50.9 percent), according to GeniusIQ. According to GeniusIQ, the Rockets finished 27th in effective field goal percentage on off-the-dribble jumpers and 24th in effective field goal percentage for all jumpers. Durant will regularly help the team in those categories. The Rockets ranked eighth in isolations per game but 27th in points per direct isolation.
Houston’s season, which begins at 6:30 p.m. Central on NBC against the reigning champion Thunder, will undoubtedly be thrilling.
