Kevin Durant is preparing to begin a new phase of his career with the Houston Rockets, the fifth team he has played for since entering the NBA.
After relatively short stints with the Warriors, Nets, and Suns, both Durant and the Rockets are approaching this move intending to make Houston his final stop before retirement.
“The goal right now for Kevin Durant and the Rockets is for him to retire in Houston,” said NBA insider Shams Charania on ESPN’s First Take. “They’re going to eventually this offseason discuss a contract extension and figure out where that lands.”
Durant is heading into the final year of the four-year, $198 million extension he signed with the Brooklyn Nets back in 2021. He is set to earn $54.7 million for the 2025–26 season and becomes eligible for a contract extension on July 6.
Under current league rules, he can sign a two-year extension worth up to $112 million immediately or wait six months and become eligible for a two-year deal worth as much as $124 million.
Speaking earlier on ESPN’s Get Up, Charania noted that Durant is enthusiastic about the move to Houston not only because of the fresh start but because of the young core he will join.
The Rockets managed to pull off the trade with Phoenix without giving up their top young players. The outgoing package included Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 draft, and five second-round picks.
“Kevin Durant, from what I understand, he was excited to go to Houston to specifically play with Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith, Reed Sheppard,” Charania said.
“They’ve got so many young players, Tari Eason as well, and Ime Udoka is a coach that he’s very familiar with from Team USA as well as with the Nets. There’s a lot of mutual respect there, a deep level of respect. So there’s excitement there.”
Durant remains one of the league’s most effective scorers. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists last season, earning his 12th All-NBA selection before a late-season injury ended his campaign.
Durant originally signed his current deal with Brooklyn in 2021 with the expectation that Kyrie Irving and James Harden would commit long-term as well.
But the partnership quickly unraveled, with Harden requesting a trade and Irving’s contract negotiations stalling. Less than a year later, Durant asked out, leading to a series of moves that landed him first in Phoenix and now in Houston.
Now, entering the final year of that deal, Durant and the Rockets hope to build something more permanent.
Kevin Durant, Rockets To Discuss Extension With Goal Of Him Retiring With Team https://t.co/teLzll6cJK
— RealGM (@RealGM) June 26, 2025
