It is not every day that you become the highest-paid NBA player in history, surpassing even King James at that. Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant became one after he agreed to a $90 million contract extension with a player option for the 2027-28 season. As was revealed by his business partner, Rich Kleiman. But, here is the thing: Durant reportedly accepted about $30 million less than the max to give the Rockets more flexibility in building a high-caliber roster around him. ESPN’s Shams Charania called it a sacrifice on KD’s part.

But not everyone is buying into that narrative. 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, KD is not one to take such a direct attack casually, both on and off the court. 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 and replied, “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).” The kind of backtrack only KD can induce.

Even at 37, Durant remains an elite offensive weapon. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 52.7% from the field. That was last season with the Suns, even when they were a mess. They were not happy to trade KD away either. Phoenix general manager Brian Gregory said of Durant, “One of the greatest to ever play the game, we are grateful for the impact Kevin made on our organization and in our community”.

With the blockbuster deal, 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 general manager 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.

As for the contract, he was eligible for a two-year, $120 million max extension. Instead, he only accepted around $30 million less to ensure the Rockets have flexibility for team-building. It’s a calculated sacrifice, one that shows KD’s buy-in to the franchise’s long-term vision. However it is rare to see, a contract deal that is undervalued, yet carries so much significance.

With this extension, Durant has now passed LeBron James to become the highest-earning player in NBA history. The third one is Steph Curry. According to Shams 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 for KD’s on court game and longetivity?

How far can this contract take Kevin Durant?

The Houston Rockets are officially ushering into 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 for their championship ambitions. He is someone who can elevate, the young core of Alperen Şengün, Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson. The same young core, that is named as the second best in NBA, according to the Bleacher Report.

The preview for the season was positive: 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. They finished the pre-season with a 4-0 score. But good preseason form only raises expectations. It is all a matter of time, that things get clear.

But despite that, there is no ‘no-trade’ clause in his contract. It means if the collaboration falters, Houston can pivot and use Durant as a major trade asset. With a roughly $45 million annual salary and only a two-year guarantee the risk can turn into a reward for the Rockets.

The Rockets are delving into tight budgeting. Their salary cap for 2025-26 is set around ~$154.6 million, with luxury tax it can reach the threshold of ~$187.9 million. 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.