Oklahoma City Thunder Receive Financial Aid From NBA For Kevin Durant Max Contract Salary Increase

NBA owners have agreed to reimburse the Oklahoma City Thunder as much as nearly $15 million to aid team executives in paying off the max contract they signed Kevin Durant to during the 2010 off season.

According to ProBasketballTalk.com, when the Thunder signed Durant to a max extension during that lockout summer of 2010 they did so without a set dollar amount in place, merely stipulating that it would be for the maximum.

After an agreement was finally reached between management and players, the max Durant was eligible for dramatically increased from $74,302,616 to $89,163,134 over the next five seasons. The so-called Derrick Rose Rule allows franchise-level players to receive a higher maximum salary starting in their fifth year in the league.

Such players can now receive the same maximum salary as a player with seven years in the league. In order to qualify, the player must have been the Most Valuable Player at least once, been named to an All-NBA (first, second or third) team twice, or been voted in as an All-Star starter twice.   

While Oklahoma City management has expressed satisfaction with the league’s actions, execs are quick to point just how much it has already cost them. Over the last two off seasons, the cash-strapped Thunder have lost both James Harden and Kevin Martin to either salary-cap-induced transactions.

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