It is not every day that you become the highest-paid NBA player in history, surpassing even King James. Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant became one after he agreed to a $90 million contract extension for two years. But Durant reportedly accepted about $30 million less than the max to could have asked for ($120 million), giving the Rockets more flexibility and which will help keep Durant for a longer period. Even ESPN’s Shams Charania called it a sacrifice, but not everyone is buying that narrative.

New York Knicks reporter Tommy Beer took to X (formerly Twitter) to question the ‘sacrifice’. He wrote, “KD locked in $45 million in guaranteed money for his age-39 season… not sure I’d characterize that as an unselfish sacrifice.” Now, even if that has a lot of takers and logic given the punch of the age factor, KD is not one to take such a direct attack casually. He replied in his own style, gaining support from fans and critics alike.

Durant fired back with a sharp question: “What would u characterize it as? Since we characterizing s— this morning.” The exchange is going viral, showing that, as always, KD won’t hesitate to defend his choices directly. But that is not all. Caught off guard by Durant’s response, Beer immediately softened his stance.

“I’d say it’s pretty smart business for both parties… Rockets lock in an aging but still incredibly productive player. A bit risky but probably worth it considering they feel they can legitimately compete for a title over the next 3 seasons. You lock in another huge guaranteed payday (advisable at age 37),” Beer replied. The kind of backtrack only KD can induce, because even at 37, Durant remains an elite offensive weapon.

Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 52.7% from the field last season with the Suns, even when they were a mess. With the blockbuster deal, the Rockets gained him back in July. “Kevin impacts the game on both ends of the court and is one of the most efficient scorers in the history of basketball,” Rockets GM Rafael Stone had said at the time of the deal. “We liked the growth our team showed last season and believe Kevin’s skill set will integrate seamlessly.” They laid it all out for KD.

But now, the debate has shifted from being a good fit for Houston to did he got overvalued given the age factor? Durant has now passed LeBron James to become the highest-earning player in NBA history. The third one is Steph Curry. According to Charania, “Kevin 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). He has a total of three years and $144.7 million on his current contract.”

Here’s the breakdown of his contract (based on reports from ESPN’s Shams Charania):

• 2026-27 season: about $43.1 million

• 2027-28 season (player option): about $46.9 million

• Average: roughly $45 million

But is it a long-term contract? What does it actually do for KD’s on-court game and longevity?

Kevin Durant ushers in a new era for Houston Rockets, but flexibility remains key

The Houston Rockets are officially ushering in a new era. They open their 2025-26 campaign on Tuesday night against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. They have brought in Kevin Durant just in time to provide the missing elite-scoring punch and veteran leadership that they lacked. The Rockets view him as a linchpin in their championship ambitions.

Also, Durant is someone who can elevate the young core of Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and Amen Thompson. The same young core that is named as the second-best in the NBA, according to the Bleacher Report. The preseason, too, was positive with the Rockets winning all 4. Durant debuted as a Rocket and scored 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting in just 23 minutes in the win over the Utah Jazz. But good preseason form only raises expectations.

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Last season, he led the NBA with a 49.7% jump-shot accuracy and 53.1% on midrange attempts, while also topping the league with 50.9% on off-the-dribble jumpers. These stats make the Rockets a winner with the deal. But the Rockets are delving into tight budgeting.

Their salary cap for 2025-26 is set around $154.6 million, according to Basketball Reference. And with this deal, the Rockets are operating near the apron (hard cap). If Houston needs to reset or pivot, losing Durant’s salary and gaining younger assets/picks may be the only way to preserve future flexibility.