Former Longhorn Kevin Durant To Sign $198 Million Extension with Nets

By signing the extension, Durant would become one of the few NBA players to make half-a-billion dollars for his career

Kevin Durant is on the verge of signing a 4-year, $198 million contract extension with the Brooklyn Nets, per reports in Boardroom.com and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Durant is expected to sign the extension on Saturday. He and Team USA are playing for the gold medal in men's basketball on Friday night. 

Boardroom.com had more details on the impending deal. It also underlined the staggering amount of money that Durant will have earned in the NBA upon signing the extension.

Durant has already made $306,172,746 through his NBA contracts, a figure that ranks fifth all-time. This extension will put him in the rarefied air of players that earn half a billion dollars in their career.

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To trigger the extension, Durant has to formally turn down his player option for next season.

Durant, who missed the 2019-20 season due to a ruptured Achilles’ tendon, had a tremendous 2020-21 in leading the Nets to the Eastern Conference semifinals. After averaging 26.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game in the regular season, he had one of the best overall games in postseason history in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Milwaukee. In that game, Durant finished with a triple-double — 49 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists. Durant became the first player in NBA playoff history to have at least 45 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in a single game.

Durant, who won two NBA titles with Golden State Warriors, was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft coming out of Texas. His alma mater sent three players to the NBA in the most recent draft — forwards Kai Jones, Greg Brown and Jericho Sims. Guard Matt Coleman III also signed an undrafted free-agent contract.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.