A pay cut of thirty million still leaves him as the highest-paid player in history.

Durant and the Rockets secured an early contract extension, settling everything before the season began. From the opening second of the season opener against the Thunder, the entire Rockets team was focused on one thing: winning the championship.

Durant was previously qualified to sign a two-year super max deal worth 120 million, and a 60 million yearly salary was not outlandish for him, even as he nears 40 years old. But that’s Durant—whenever he’s on the court, I never doubt his ability to score.

I thought Durant might take a moderate pay cut, signing a two-year 100 million contract, which would already be a significant contribution to the Rockets’ future salary cap management. But I didn’t expect him to immediately slash thirty million, agreeing to a two-year 90 million extension with a player option for the 27-28 season.

Durant’s salary this year exceeds 53 million, but next season it drops directly to around 45 million, showing how much sacrifice he has made. This is the largest pay cut of his career; he had taken pay cuts before during his time with the Warriors.

It’s worth noting that even with this thirty million pay cut, Durant’s total career earnings have reached $598.2 million, surpassing LeBron James’s $583.9 million and making him the highest-paid player in NBA history. However, when Curry signs his next extension, he is expected to surpass both, with total earnings exceeding 600 million.

After these three retire, who will have the chance to become the highest-paid player in history? It could be Booker. His current total salary already exceeds 520 million, and he will only turn 30 next year. It’s not unrealistic for his career earnings to surpass 700 million, though that’s another story.

Durant’s pay cut and extension has triggered a series of positive chain reactions for the Rockets’ future. First is Eason’s extension. The Rockets’ total salary next season is expected to stay below the second luxury tax threshold of 80 million, leaving ample space to offer Eason a satisfactory contract. The extension is expected to be completed before tomorrow’s deadline.

In the future, the Rockets’ salary structure will remain relatively healthy. After all, in the 26-27 season, Durant’s salary of about 45 million will still be the highest on the team, since Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s salary will be only 35.64 million that season.

Rockets GM Stone’s contract management over the past two years has been nearly flawless. He signed Shai with a five-year 185 million secondary max contract, secured Jalen Green with a five-year 122 million affordable extension, and initially signed Jalen Green to a three-year 106 million extension, laying the groundwork for Durant’s arrival.

The team atmosphere in Houston is excellent; the young players are willing to make sacrifices by accepting lower salaries, and veterans lead by example with pay cuts to extend contracts. Before Durant, Van Jordan signed a two-year 50 million new contract with the Rockets, but unfortunately suffered an ACL tear, which was an unfortunate natural disaster.

Before Van Jordan’s injury, the Rockets’ roster was considered top-tier, fully armed from the guard to forward and center positions. Even if Van Jordan misses next season, the Rockets still have Shepard to look forward to; the rookie performed well in the preseason.

Taking a step back, even if Shepard hasn’t yet reached the level of starting point guard for the Rockets, there are still options. In the preseason, Udoka experimented with a “death five” lineup featuring Adams, Shai, Jabari Smith, Durant, and Amen Thompson. With four players around 2.1 meters plus 2.03-meter Amen, the interior defense is airtight, and rebounding protection is maximized.

This lineup is somewhat “extreme” and lacks mobility. The Rockets can easily replace Adams with Eason or Fini-Smith to form a big lineup that also maintains agility.

Last season’s playoffs against the Warriors, we repeatedly said the Rockets lacked a closer, a go-to offensive player who could battle the Warriors in clutch moments. This was the biggest disappointment with Jalen Green. But now Durant is here, one of the league’s best scorers landing in Houston.

Over the past five seasons, Durant has averaged 27.5 points per game, ranking fifth in the league, with a three-point shooting percentage of 41.5%, sixth in the league, and averaging at least two made threes per game. In this preseason, Durant played two games, averaging 17.5 points in 25.5 minutes, a modest start.

The Rockets’ roster depth means Durant doesn’t need to maintain a high scoring frequency throughout the entire game. He can save his energy for the decisive moments in the final quarter. When the “Grim Reaper” effortlessly swings his scythe, other teams should be wary.

After signing the extension, Durant can theoretically play until 2028, by which time he will have crossed the 40-year-old threshold. His intention to end his career with the Rockets is clear. Although he once said he would retire at 35, thinking about the boredom after retirement, he chose to stay on the court.

This confirms the saying that only passion can withstand the long passage of time.