Durant’s $30M Discount Still Makes Him Highest NBA Career Earner

Kevin Durant gave the Rockets a discount before playing an official game for the team. 

The 15-time All-Star agreed to a two-year, $90 million extension, the team said Sunday. It includes a player option for the 2027–28 season. Durant, 37, couldn’t sign a deal beyond two years because of the NBA’s over-36 rule that limits players of that age or older to a contract no longer than that length. 

The 6-foot-10 forward was eligible for a two-year extension worth a maximum of $120 million, but left $30 million on the table to give Houston cap flexibility to stay in contention in the twilight of his career. Before Durant’s extension, the Rockets were projected to be $80 million under the second apron next season, according to ESPN. His deal still gives the team $35 million to re-sign forward Tari Eason and add players in free agency. 

Despite the discount, Durant still made history with the deal. He surpassed LeBron James for highest career earnings in NBA history based on current and future salaries with a total of $598.2 million, according to Spotrac. James, who is in the final year of his contract with the Lakers, is at $583.9 million. The extension plus the $54 million Durant is owed this year means he will earn $144.7 million over the next three years.

The Rockets acquired Durant from the Suns in June for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft—which the Suns used to select Duke center Khaman Maluach—and five second-round picks. Durant came to Houston in the final year of a four-year, $198 million deal he originally signed with the Nets in 2021.

Durant expressed confidence in getting an extension signed at the team’s media day in September. 

 “I do see myself signing a contract extension,” Durant said then. “I can’t tell you exactly when it’ll happen but I do see it happening.”

The Rockets lost to the Warriors in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs and enter the season as title contenders behind Durant, who is still one of the game’s best scorers despite his age. They open the regular season on Tuesday against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, where Durant played for eight years.