Kevin Durant, the Phoenix Suns’ star forward and 14-time All-Star, has made the decision not to pursue a contract extension this offseason.
Instead, he plans to wait until next summer for the chance to sign a longer deal.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Durant’s decision is set.
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“I’m told there will not be an extension there for Kevin Durant,” Charania reported.
He added, “The focus for both Durant and the Suns has been on securing a two-year deal, rather than a one-year extension. Durant has made it clear how much he values his time in Phoenix, and the Suns are fully invested in optimizing their team this season.”
The deadline for Durant to sign the extension is Monday. The proposed one-year deal would be valued at $59.7 million, extending his contract through the 2026-27 season. Currently, he’s under contract until the end of the 2025-26 season.
The extension Durant is eligible for is the maximum the Suns could offer due to the Over-38 rule. This rule is designed to protect teams from overcommitting to aging players, thus limiting their ability to make long-term contracts for those in their late 30s.
This will be Durant’s second full season with the Suns, following his mid-season trade from the Brooklyn Nets in 2023, which also brought T.J. Warren to Phoenix. The Suns gave up several key players, including Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, along with multiple future first-round picks in the trade.
Despite his age, Durant has maintained impressive performance, averaging 27.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, along with solid defensive stats over his 83 games in Phoenix. His shooting percentages are also noteworthy, at 52.7% from the field and 42.4% from three.
Last season was relatively injury-free for Durant, but the same can’t be said for the Suns’ roster, with key players like Bradley Beal sidelined for substantial periods, leading to a sixth-place finish in the rankings.
With the past behind them, the Suns are now focusing on winning a title for Durant and believe they have the roster capable of making a strong title push.
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