How badly did Kevin Durant want to be back in Texas — the state where he played in college — and to be on a team with a legit title chance in the next couple of years? Here’s the answer:
Durant took about $30 million less than his max in agreeing to a two-year, $90 million contract extension with the Houston Rockets, a deal first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN. Durant is in the final year of his current contract at $54.7 million and now is locked in with the Rockets for two years beyond that — and is taking a nearly $10 million a year drop from that salary to be part of a contender in Houston.
Durant chose Houston as one of the destinations he wanted to be traded to out of Phoenix last summer and he is a hand-in-glove fit for the team’s needs — shooting and half-court offensive creation.
Last season, in a rough season for the Suns, Durant, 37, still averaged 26.6 points, six rebounds, and 4.2 assists a game while shooting 43% from 3-point range. He is still one of the best pure bucket getters in the game and exactly what the Rockets need to improve a stagnant half-court offense.
