David Frerker-Imagn Photos
Seasons overpaid vs. underpaid: 5-12Real Worth: $464,107,250Profession earnings: $405,940,020Difference: $58,167,230 (14.33 p.c)
That former league MVP Kevin Durant was capable of miss a full season in his prime as a result of damage and nonetheless rank as probably the most underpaid gamers ever tells you all you might want to learn about simply how nice the longer term Corridor-of-Famer is when he’s wholesome.
Actual Worth believes Durant was most underpaid in 2009-10, with a $22.1 million disparity that yr between his Actual Worth and precise wage, which was simply $4.8 million that yr. That season, Durant was absurdly helpful, main the league in scoring at 30.1 factors per recreation to go along with 7.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals whereas showing in all 82 outings. Durant’s Thunder went 50-32 that season, too, because the Washington D.C. native completed second within the MVP vote for his efforts, and second in Most Improved Participant together with being an All-Star and 1st Group All-NBAer.
To do all that whereas incomes lower than $5 million for the season is really onerous to consider in hindsight.
After all, with Durant being older now and nonetheless making a lot cash, Actual Worth believes he’s been overpaid a bit over the previous two years, together with in 2023-24 when our stat says he was overpaid by $11.3 million. Even then, the Phoenix Suns must be thrilled with what they bought out of the veteran scorer in his age-35 season, as Durant nonetheless put up over 27 factors per recreation on 52.3 p.c capturing in 2023-24 whereas incomes 2nd Group All-NBA and All-Star honors.
Durant’s Actual Worth remains to be extraordinarily excessive, as our metric had his output price $36.3 million simply final season, it’s merely that new-age max contracts (Durant revamped $47 million final yr) are so huge that even the very best of gamers are having a tough time outperforming them.
For extra of Kevin Durant’s profession wage data, click on right here.
