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Kevin Durant is signing a two-year, $90 million contract extension with the Rockets after his midsummer trade from the Suns, his business partner and Boardroom CEO Rich Kleiman told ESPN on Sunday.
The Rockets made this blockbuster offseason move to compete for a championship this season. Durant, 38, has averaged 25 points per game over the past 16 seasons, and he is the only player in NBA history to average that many points for four different franchises. He’s a two-time NBA champion, a former MVP and Finals MVP, a 15-time All Star and a four-time Olympic gold medalist — which is the most in men’s Olympic basketball history.Â
Durant said earlier this month he planned to sign an extension in Houston.
“I can’t tell you when that will happen, but I do see it happening,” Durant said. “Just seeing the quick progression of this franchise from where it was right after that James Harden, Chris Paul era. Seeing with Ime (Udoka) got here and how he turned it around so fast. I have some connections here around the organization, people I work with around the league already … felt organic and natural coming into the gym and being a Houston Rocket for the first time.”
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The Rockets are coming off their first 50-win season since 2018-19. They finished sixth in defensive rating (111.7) and second in rebound percentage (53.6%) last year, per CBS Sports Research.Â
Houston was extremely active this offseason apart from the Durant acquisition. The Rockets also gave extensions to coach Ime Udoka, forward Jabari Smith and center Steven Adams, and signed Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency.Â
“It feels amazing to be back here in Houston, with friends and relationships I’ve built since coming to Texas,” Durant said. “Always felt this was a place I could settle in and live actually. Never thought about it, but I always say Houston is a good place to move to, so for this opportunity to come around, it felt natural and right.”