Kevin Durant’s Shocking Extension: Is Houston Ready to Pay Less Than Max?

Maybe everyone is comfortable going into the season without an extension and seeing how things play out. That said, we are more than a month out from the start of training camps, and a lot of deals get done right around the beginning of camp. This is all just something to watch.

Windhorst: “I think the Rockets are like it’s not ideal, but I don’t think they would panic if they go into the season with Kevin Durant just on the contract that he’s on just on the on the expiring deal… I’ll say this, Rafael Stone, since he’s been the GM of the of the Rockets, he’s signed quite a few giant contracts, but a lot most of them have been short.”The only question is the money on Durant’s contract extension. Kevin Durant in Houston feels like a hand-in-glove fit. The Rockets wanted Durant, and Houston was on his short list of places he wanted to be traded. When asked about the organization, Durant praised the Rockets. He fills the need for a half-court scoring threat that will open up their offense. Kevin Durant landing in Houston? It’s one of those rare moments in sports where everything just clicks — the Rockets coveted him, and he, in turn, eyed Houston as a prime destination. Durant’s own words gush about the organization, signaling a mutual buzz that you just don’t see every day. This isn’t just another trade piece; KD fills a glaring void for a lethal half-court scorer who can instantly jazz up Houston’s offense. But here’s the rub — the talks about his contract extension are anything but straightforward. Durant is closing in on the last year of his deal, and while the Rockets can offer a max two-year extension, whispers suggest both sides might be aiming lower than that big number. With reports hinting the Rockets aren’t ready to go all-in and Durant possibly ready to take a slice off the max, we’re staring down a pretty interesting negotiation dance. The question isn’t just if he’ll stay — it’s for how much, and for how long. Will Durant toss legacy and family into the mix and settle for less? Or do both sides hold firm, ready to test the waters come training camp? The clock’s ticking, and trust me, every move will be worth watching. LEARN MOREMacMahon: “By all appearances and by what I’ve heard, they’re not going all in on an extension for Kevin Durant. Now, doesn’t mean it won’t happen, but there’ve been rumblings of KD not going to push for the full max. I don’t know that the Rockets are going to put anything on the table that’s close to the max.”

The contract has to be short in this case, but what is a fair number for the future Hall of Famer? One source who spoke to NBC Sports during Summer League suggested KD might dip to about the 0 million mark for two years, around million a season below the max but still million a season. However, maybe that number is too high. Maybe Durant will take less — he has the right to make whatever choice he thinks is best for him, his legacy and his family. Durant is in the final year of his current contract at .7 million. The Rockets can offer him a max two-year, 2.1 million extension (no team can offer Durant more than two years because of the over 38 rule). There was always an expectation that Durant would take a bit of a haircut off that max number, but that cut may be deeper than just a haircut, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Brian Windhorst on the Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip Hoopshype).