Kevin Durant Contract: Suns Star Is One of the Highest Earning NBA Players of All-Time

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - Kevin Durant (#35) of the Phoenix Suns shoots the ball against Ochai Agbaji (#30) of the Utah Jazz during the second half of a game at Delta Center on November 19, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo : Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant is unanimously hailed as one of the best players in NBA history, with some fans and observers declaring him the greatest scorer of all time.

Now in his 17th season in the league at 35, the 6-foot-10 forward continues to stand among the NBA's elite players since being drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics with the second overall pick in 2007.

Durant's capacity to maintain a consistently high level of performance for nearly two decades has resulted in lucrative contracts during the latter stages of his career.

The prolific scorer has showcased his talents with several teams, including the Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, and the Phoenix Suns. 

Among his long list of achievements are back-to-back NBA championships, Finals MVP with the Warriors in 2016 and 2017, and an NBA Most Valuable Player award in 2014 with the Thunder.

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Kevin Durant Contract: $198 million

In the summer of 2021, Durant inked a four-year contract extension amounting to $198 million with the Brooklyn Nets.

This lucrative agreement, covering the 2022-23 season to 2025-26, remained in effect even after Durant's trade to the Phoenix Suns in February 2023. 

The prospect of the 2008 NBA Rookie of the Year signing another contract remains uncertain, considering that he will be 38 years old when his current pact expires.

Kevin Durant Career Earnings

As of the conclusion of the ongoing 2023-24 season, Durant is expected to accumulate $396.7 million in career earnings solely from his NBA salary throughout his 17-season career, according to Spotrac.

It's important to note that this figure does not include additional income from endorsements or deductions for taxes, agent fees, and other business expenses.

This total places Durant as the second-highest-earning NBA player of all time, with only Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James surpassing him, per Statista.

Looking ahead, the cumulative total of Durant's NBA salary by the end of his current contract is projected to reach $499.8 million in 2026.

A study by Sportico placed Durant as the 18th highest-earning athlete of all time during the end of 2022, taking into account his income from NBA salary and endorsements.

The 13-time NBA All-Star's overall career earnings at that time were reported to be $710 million, unadjusted for inflation.

Kevin Durant Salary 2023

Durant is slated to earn $47,649,433 in the ongoing 2023-24 NBA season, according to numbers by HoopsHype.

The former Texas Longhorns player is the second highest-paid player in the association this season, trailing only Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry.

Over the next two seasons, the six-time All-NBA First Team member is set to surpass the $50 million annual salary mark.

Specifically, he is slated to earn $51,179,020 in the 2024-25 season and $54,708,608 in the 2025-26 season, which marks the final year of his current contract. 

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