The looming free agency of Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant has been causing a stir in the NBA landscape for years now. After all, it is pretty rare when the second best player in the league (when healthy) hits unrestricted free agency and hasn’t promised to re-sign. According to a recent poll of league executives conducted by Ken Berger of CBSSports, Durant is expected to stay put in OKC:
Despite ample financial motivation to take short deals and hit the market again in 2016 or ’17 to ride the TV revenue wave, essentially only one of the 12 players who received max deals this summer changed teams: LaMarcus Aldridge, who went from the Trail Blazers to the Spurs. (Wesley Matthews’ deal went up to four years, $70 million only after DeAndre Jordan spurned Dallas. Greg Monroe opted for a three-year, $51 million deal to go from Detroit to Milwaukee instead of the full, four-year max.)
James took a two-year deal with a player option for 2016-17, but it was strictly a financial move – not one that he made with an eye toward positioning himself for another Cleveland exit.
Most league execs informally polled here at Summer League expect Durant to stay in Oklahoma City when he hits the market next summer. There are only a handful of teams that can legitimately think they’re an option. The Lakers, the Mavs and the Wizards (in Durant’s hometown) are in the mix, for starters. The Knicks? I mean, I guess, in theory.
If KD was to entertain the idea of bolting Oklahoma City, he only has three legitimately realistic options being the Mavericks, Lakers, and most notably the Washington Wizards. As we all know, the cap is going to go through a major increase next summer allowing larger max contracts which is undoubtedly what Durant will receive.
The most prominent idea is that he will follow in the footsteps of LeBron James and join his hometown Washington Wizards. After all, it makes a lot of sense: Durant will be able to play in the weaker conference and join forces with a young roster that boasts guards John Wall and Bradley Beal. Washington has also made subtle moves to lure him to the district such as hiring Durant’s high school coach and drafting close friend Kelly Oubre Jr.
Dallas obviously has a chance as owner Mark Cuban goes after every big fish on the market yearly. Los Angeles has a decent shot at landing the superstar as they are one of the most illustrious franchises in all of professional sports and need someone to carry the torch once the great Kobe Bryant retires.
Every team will be clamoring for the services of Kevin Durant next summer and why not? Who wouldn’t want a 6’11” freak of nature that can handle like a point guard and shoot the rock like a 2 guard? However, according to most NBA executives right now, it’s looking like staying in Oklahoma City is Durant’s most likely option.
