Two-time NBA Finals MVP star Kevin Durant is set to sign a four-year, $ 198 million contract extension with the Brooklyn Nets, manager Rich Kleiman said Friday.
With the new contract, Durant rejected the option he had in his deal with the Nets for the 2022-23 season. His new agreement is until the 2025-2026 season.
The eleven-time NBA All-Star is at the Tokyo Olympics, leading the United States’ national team to the gold medal game against France.
The 33-year-old forward won two NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018. Durant left Golden State after the 2018-2019 season and was out of the entire 2019-2020 season with a hamstring injury. Achilles who suffered in the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors.
He eventually joined the Nets and played alongside fellow All-Stars James Harden and Kyrie Irving last season, leading Brooklyn to the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Nets lost the best-of-seven series 4-3 despite Durant scoring 48 points in the seventh game.
Although he missed parts of the regular season with a series of injuries, Durant averaged 26.9 points and 7.1 rebounds in 35 games.
The extension, for which he is eligible after Saturday, is expected to exceed $ 500 million in earnings from his NBA career.
On the other hand, also on NBA contracts, Kawhi Leonard is expected to re-sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, although the details are still being finalized, reported Yahoo Sports.
Leonard initially turned down his $ 36 million player option for next season, but was expected to try to negotiate a new deal to stay with the Clippers.
Los Angeles is home to the two-time NBA Finals MVP (2014 and 2019) who grew up east of the city in Riverside. (AFP)