Durant: Although I don’t have a championship, I have the highest salary in history!

On October 20, the Houston Rockets officially announced that they had officially reached a contract extension with star Durant. This two-year contract worth US$90 million not only included player options for the second year, but also meant that Durant took the initiative to reduce his salary by about US$30 million. He was originally eligible to sign a two-year maximum salary contract of US$120 million. After this contract extension, Durant's total career salary reached US$598.2 million, successfully surpassing LeBron James (US$583.9 million) and ranking first in NBA history.

The magnitude of Durant's salary cut this time surprised many people. His salary for the 2025-26 season was originally It was originally US$54.71 million, but the annual salary in the first year of the new contract was only US$43.27 million, a direct reduction of more than US$11 million. This is the fourth time in Durant's career that he has accepted a contract below the maximum salary, and it is also the largest salary cut. Rockets coach Uduka commented on this: "I think many of our players are focused on the right things. It's about winning, and winning at all costs, and they understand the importance of flexibility. When the team has extra money to operate, this will put us in a good position." Durant's salary cut provides the Rockets with more room to operate, allowing the team to renew young players such as Ethan and Amen Thompson, while keeping the total salary at the second level. Below the line

Despite a $30 million salary cut, Durant's total career salary still climbed to the first in NBA history at $598.2 million, slightly surpassing James's $583.9 million. This figure brings together Durant's 19-season career income. In comparison, James It took 22 seasons to accumulate a total salary of US$583.9 million; in the total salary list of active players, Curry ranked third with US$532.7 million, followed by Booker (US$520.2 million), George (US$516.9 million), Big Eyebrow (US$511.2 million) and Embiid (US$509.3 million), but Duran Special's "No. 1 in history" may not last long. If James chooses to continue playing and signs a new contract next summer, his total salary is likely to surpass Durant and become the first player in history to have a salary of more than 600 million US dollars.

Durant's salary cut is surprisingly similar to James' choice that year. James gave up his maximum salary many times in his career for the sake of team building. During the Heat period from 2010 to 2014, James and Bosh tied for the team's highest salary. They did not enjoy the highest salary alone. They made sacrifices for the team to maintain the Big Three lineup. What is even more surprising is that James did not receive the team's highest salary in the first seven years of his career, even in 2007-20. In the 2008 and 2008-2009 seasons, his salary was lower than that of Ben Wallace. It was not until the 2014-2015 season that the 30-year-old James' annual salary exceeded US$20 million for the first time, a full six years later than Kobe. The tradition of salary cuts for superstars, from James to Durant, is like a inheritance. They are well aware of the competitiveness of the team. Players are often required to make certain financial sacrifices

Durant's salary cut provides great flexibility for the Rockets' future construction. Currently, the Rockets have 9 players on their books with a total salary of US$186 million, which is still far away from the second richest line of US$223 million. This means that the Rockets can use their basic salary. Reinforcing the end of the bench can avoid the restrictions of the second wealthy line and maintain the team's long-term competitiveness. Rockets general manager Stone's contract renewal operation has been hailed as "perfect" by the industry: he signed a five-year sub-maximum salary of 185 million with Shen Jing, reached a five-year low-cost extension contract with Jabari Smith Jr. of 122 million, and signed a three-year 106 million with Jaylen Green. To renew the contract, Durant's salary cut is more like adding the last piece of the puzzle to the Rockets' "both present and future" construction ideas. Durant has player options in 2027, and both parties can renegotiate the contract. Maybe Durant will cut his salary again

Regarding Durant's historical status, there are always people who take "nothing" "A true champion who has to win" can be questioned, but the historical first salary of US$598.2 million just proves the league's recognition of its value. Durant has averaged 27.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.1 blocks and 1.0 steals per game in his career. He is one of the six players in NBA history who has averaged at least 25+7+4 per game. The only player to average at least 1 block and 1 steal per game; in the past five seasons, Durant ranked fifth in the league with 27.5 points per game and sixth in three-point shooting percentage with 41.5% (averaging at least 2 three-pointers per game). Durant joined the Rockets to solve the team's most pressing needs: last season, the Rockets ranked 27th in the league in effective field goal percentage on dribble jumpers. , ranking 24th in effective field goal percentage of all jump shots, while Durant's jump shot percentage last season was as high as 49.7%, and his pull-up shooting percentage after dribbling was 50.9%, both ranking first in the league.

The depth of the Rockets' lineup allows Durant to retain his physical fitness until the decisive moment in the final quarter, when he does not have to fight hard throughout the game. The god of death wielded his sickle at the last moment, and other teams in the league must be wary of it. Behind the seemingly "discounted" contract is Durant's desire for the championship. The title of the first person in total salary is just an additional proof of his extraordinary value. In the world of basketball, money has never been the only criterion for measuring greatness, but it must be the most direct manifestation of strength