Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant has signed a two-year, $90 million contract extension that includes a player option for the 2027-28 season, his business partner and Boardroom CEO Rich Kleiman told ESPN on Sunday.
Kleiman said Durant is eligible for a contract extension of up to $120 million over two years, but he understands that when he chooses the Rockets as a trade destination, he will be sacrificing money on a new contract — about $30 million in this case — to allow the two sides to work together long-term and provide flexibility for the team's roster building.
Durant, 37, now holds the record for the highest career earnings in NBA history at $598.2 million based on current and future salary, surpassing LeBron James ($583.9 million). Durant's income this season is US$54.7 million, and his current contract totals US$144.7 million over three years.
On Sunday, the Rockets announced a contract extension with Durant, but did not disclose specific terms.
Houston acquired Durant in July as part of the largest trade in NBA history, a historic seven-team deal that sent Jaylen Green, Dillon Brooks, No. 10 pick Ka'aman Maluachi and second-round picks Rasheer Fleming and Kobe Breea to the Phoenix Suns. The addition of Durant makes the Rockets, the defending No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, a legitimate NBA title contender, joining the two-time champion and two-time Finals MVP with young stars Alperon Sengun and Amen Thompson.
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A 15-time All-Star, Durant provides the Rockets with an elite jump shooter and shot creator who fits seamlessly into the lineup. According to GeniusIQ, last season he shot an NBA-high 49.7 percent on jump shots, 53.1 percent on mid-range shots, and the best on jump shots off the dribble (50.9 percent).
Durant will have a lasting impact in those areas for the Rockets, who rank 27th in effective field goal percentage on off-the-dribble jumpers and 24th among all jumpers, according to GeniusIQ. The Rockets also rank seventh in isolation possessions per game, but rank 27th in points per direct isolation possession.
Last season, Durant played 62 games with the Suns, averaging 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. According to ESPN Research, the future Hall of Famer averaged at least 25 points per game for three consecutive seasons while shooting 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range, the longest streak in NBA history.
Durant ranks eighth in NBA career points, and if he scores at least 990 points, he could surpass Wilt Chamberlain and Dirk Nowitzki and enter the all-time list this season. He has averaged at least 25 points per game for 16 consecutive seasons, ranking second in league history, second only to James (20 consecutive seasons). Durant is the player with the most career points per game in the history of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Brooklyn Nets and Suns. He is also the player with the second-highest career points per game in the history of the Golden State Warriors, second only to Chamberlain.
In addition to the Durant trade and extension, the Rockets also completed important offseason business. 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 Ja'Shawn Tate, Aaron Holiday and Jeff Green.
Houston's 14-to-1 odds to win the 2026 NBA championship rank fifth among ESPN BET's odds. The Rockets will open the regular season Tuesday night on the road against the defending champion Thunder.