On Sunday morning, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets agreed to a two-year, $90 million contract.
The deal includes a player-option in the 2027-28 seasons.
BREAKING: Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant has agreed to a two-year, $90 million contract extension with the franchise, his business partner and Boardroom CEO Rich Kleiman tells ESPN. The new deal includes a player option in 2027-28. pic.twitter.com/5GdhzgnSPa
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 19, 2025
Having traded for Durant in the offseason, it was only a matter of time until the Rockets locked him in long-term via an extension, and that’s not officially on the books. But what will it actually mean for the organization?
Most simply, it means contention.
The Rockets will now get three full seasons worth of Durant, who’s been one of the league’s best players for a decade and a half now. Not only is he singularly spectacular, but he’s also the perfect offensive piece to play alongside one-time All-Star Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson, as well as the rest of Houston’s win-now core.
“He now has a total of 3 years and about $145 million on his Rockets’ deal,” Charania said on Sportscenter. “This sets Durant up to retire in Houston. His deal is, though, $30 million under the max contract of $120 million that he was eligible for. He understood when he chose Houston as a preferred trade destination in June that he’d be sacrificing money potentially for the long term in order to partner with the franchise.
“This now gives the Rockets’ team-building flexibility moving forward.”
Charania’s final comment is the most important for Houston, as it gives a good and proven front office flexibility moving forward.
The team has yet to reach a similar extension with Tari Eason, an obviously important piece to the team’s roster on both ends, and the added funds could soon be veered in that direction.
Additionally, it means Durant is likely to retire in Rockets’ red, as has been speculated about in recent months. At 37, he’s yet to see drop-off when on-court, but there’s some doubt he’ll be able to keep up his current level of superstar production for the next half-decade.
Still, Durant’s presently shown no signs of slowing down, averaging 26.6 points per game on 53% shooting with the Suns last year, and showing plenty of the same firepower in preseason with the Rockets, where they went undefeated.
Durant and the Rockets now look to kick off not only their own 2025-26 slate, but the NBA’s in general as they face the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Opening Night. The two tip off at 6:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Oct. 21.