Kevin Durant will be calling Southeast Texas home past the 2025-26 NBA season.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the 15-time All-Star agreed to a two-year, $90 million extension with the Houston Rockets, though he maintains a player option for 2027-28.
Charania noted KD made history with this payout:
The Rockets acquired Durant in a massive seven-team trade in July. He was entering the final year of his contract, so the possibility remained that this would be a short-term marriage.
During Houston’s media day in September, the 37-year-old expressed his belief a new deal would be forthcoming.
“I do see myself signing a contract extension,” he told reporters. “I can’t tell you exactly when that will happen, but I do see it happening.”
Durant also spoke positively about the improvement Houston made in Ime Udoka’s first two years as head coach.
“Just seeing the quick progression of this franchise, from where it was right after that Chris Paul-James Harden era to seeing what Ime got here and how he turned it around so fast,” he said. “It just felt organic and natural coming into the gym and being a Houston Rocket for the first time.”
Finding a number that suited both parties might’ve been easier said than done, though.
Durant’s stints with the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns lay bare how the surefire Hall of Famer provides no guarantees in terms of postseason success at this point in his career. The Suns couldn’t even post a winning record despite him logging 62 appearances.
Durant averaged 26.6 points on 52.6 percent shooting along with six rebounds and 4.2 assists. He’s still one of the best pure scorers in the league. What he’s not anymore is a cornerstone talent who singlehandedly puts you in title contention.
In addition, teams around the NBA are being more diligent with their payroll to avoid the penalties that come with entering the first or second aprons of the luxury tax. In the case of the highest-spending franchises, the general manager has to be confident he has a championship-caliber roster to justify operating in the tax.
Under the last collective bargaining agreement, the Rockets may have had less reservations about putting a max or near-max salary on the table for Durant. Now, the situation required careful deliberation.
The Rockets received a major blow to their title aspirations well before opening night. Point guard Fred VanVleet suffered a torn ACL during a workout. If he manages to play at all this year, he’s bound to miss a huge chunk of the regular season.
With Durant’s extension now in place, Houston will feel confident its championship window stays open for the next few seasons.
