Gilbert Arenas points out Kevin Durant sacrifices ‘no one praises,’ it helped Steph Curry make $200m

Gilbert Arenas on Kevin Durant taking pay cuts throughout his NBA career

Despite taking a pay cut to sign with the Rockets, Durant officially surpassed LeBron James to become the highest-ever earner in NBA history.

While NBA fans were shocked by Durant taking a pay cut, Gilbert Arenas had the opposite reaction. He expressed his thoughts by making a Stephen Curry and Golden State Warriors point.

“What’s funny is he’s the highest-paid player ever while taking a pay cut this whole time. When he went to Golden State, there was a pay cut; when he re-upped with Golden State, it was a pay cut.

“The reason they got a max-out Curry is because he took the pay cut,” Arenas said on The Arena.

For context, Curry signed a five-year, $201 million contract extension in 2017 with the Warriors. However, if Durant had demanded a max contract, it would have been impossible for the Dubs to pay Steph.

“He said, ‘This is your guy, this is his city, you max him out, I’ll take whatever’s left over,'” Arenas added.

No one praises Kevin Durant for his sacrifices, says Gilbert Arenas

Over the course of his NBA career, Durant has slowly become a villain in the eyes of many fans. Be it for joining the Warriors or chasing super teams to win rings.

However, Arenas wants fans to focus on the monetary sacrifices that Durant has made throughout his career.

“He’s shown that he’s willing to sacrifice money to keep trying to keep the team better. No one praises him for it,” Arenas stated.

At 37, Durant may not even be the best player on the Rockets, but it’s hard to argue against his love for the game of basketball and willingness to make sacrifices to win another NBA title.