Kevin Durant’s Current Deal Has The Most Aggressive Early Payment Plan In NBA History: “Half Of $42 Million In The First Year”

Kevin Durant is trying to get the biggest benefit before he leaves the Brooklyn Nets, and things could get more interesting for him before the start of the season, even if he's with the team on opening night. 

The 2x NBA champion has one of the most aggressive payment plans in the league, as he's set to get a huge payment before the first week of training camp finishes. 

NBA insider Marc Stein reports that Durant's new contract with the Nets will see him getting half of the $42.9 million he's due this season before the end of the first week of training camp. 

League sources tell me that Durant’s latest deal includes the most aggressive early payment schedule allowed by league rules; he’ll receive half of his $42,969,845 salary in Year 1 in two installments before the first week of training camp is complete.

Most NBA players don’t start collecting their annual salaries until the season actually starts, but league sources tell me that Durant’s latest deal indeed includes the most aggressive early payment schedule allowed by league rules.

Translation: Durant’s contract calls for him to receive half of his $42,969,845 salary in Year 1 in two installments before the first week of training camp is complete. That computes to a total of $21,484,922.

The advance amount in these cases, as seen last season with Ben Simmons before Philadelphia traded Simmons to Brooklyn, is typically paid in two equal shares on July 1 and Oct. 1. In Durant's case, that means he was due a check of $10,742,461 on the day after informing Brooklyn that he wants to be dealt.

The remaining half of Durant's 2022-23 salary, once checks are cut July 1 and Oct. 1, would then be paid out on a standard in-season check cycle.

That's a lot of money in a short amount of time, but all of this was signed when KD was happy to be with the Nets, and the team expected him to deliver a championship. Now, that possibility is off the table, as the player has made it clear he wants out of the franchise if they keep the head coach and general manager. 

It's unclear where KD will play next, but it's sure that he's getting paid in a couple of weeks from now. The Nets still have a lot of work to do to find him a new home, even though the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers appear to be favorites to acquire Durant's services.