NBA Insider Makes Bold Claim About LeBron James, Rockets Star Kevin Durant

It's evident that we are out of the era in which LeBron James and Kevin Durant were running circles around the NBA, winning championships and battling it out in the most hyped games of each season. We're a far cry from James' Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers squads taking on Durant's Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors teams in the NBA Finals.

Now, the future Hall-of-Famers are looking for one last championship run, both in the Western Conference. James already has a ring with the Los Angeles Lakers, but has yet to win one outside of the NBA Bubble in Orlando. As for Durant, he has yet to capture a championship since leaving the Warriors in 2019.

It's been a bumpy road for the two, but now their teams are revamped and ready to compete for a title. James now has a legitimate co-star and receiver of the torch in Luka Doncic, while Durant was traded to a Houston Rockets team that went 52-30 in the previous season.

Durant's case is interesting because while he's expected to sign a contract extension to stay in Houston, he has yet to come to an agreement with the organization. ESPN's Brian Windhorst talked about the James-Durant rivalry, and made claims regarding the two as well as the 6-foot-11 sniper's contract situation.

"The Rockets and Durant have had discussions about a new contract and there is belief they will come to terms, sources said, but they've yet to come to an agreement," Windhorst wrote.

"Durant, like James, is no longer viewed as a centerpiece, as Houston builds around a young core of players it acquired through the draft.

"The Rockets view Durant as a final component, a veteran who graduates them into true contender status, while they manage taking care of core players such as Jabari Smith Jr. and Fred VanVleet, both of whom signed large contracts this summer, and Alperen Sengun, a 2025 All-Star who signed a big deal the summer of 2024...

"In the end, Durant might need to accept less than a maximum contract, which he has been on since 2011, if he wants to stay in Houston."

Durant is eligible for a two-year, $122 million extension that would keep him in Houston through the 2027-28 season. However, with the Rockets already signing Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. to extensions (Sengun's kicks in this season), money may be tight for Houston moving forward.

Despite averaging 26.6 points on incredible efficiency last season, Durant may not get the maximum deal everyone expects. It would save the Rockets from potentially running into trouble with the apron levels and restrictions that come with it.