Kevin Durant is not going to draw out his free agency decision this summer. According to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Durant is set to announce which team he'll be signing with on Sunday night, shortly after free agency begins. To make things more interesting, Durant will announce the decision on his own sports business network.
Durant, of course, suffered a torn Achilles tendon during Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors. As a result, he's expected to miss all of next season, which will make things very interesting for whichever team he ends up signing with.
Despite his injury, he's still expected to get a max offer from multiple teams, including the Warriors, who can offer him the most money. According to a report from Marc Stein of the New York Times, Durant will receive a five-year, $221 million offer from the Warriors when free agency opens on Sunday.
That Durant is making his decision on Sunday does not, however, mean that he is automatically taking the Warriors' offer. Even though teams technically aren't supposed to be negotiating with players until free agency begins at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, there's little to discuss in regards to Durant. If a team is interested, they'll offer him the max. Thus, it's more up to Durant to decide where he wants to play, and he's had plenty of time to think about it, with free agency rumors dogging him the entire regular season.
There's no doubt, though, that the Warriors have the advantage over other teams with what they're able to offer Durant. And in fact, even if Durant does decide to re-sign with the Warriors, he may still be on the move. Earlier in the offseason, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that one scenario the Warriors are working on is re-signing Durant to the five-year max to help him get the extra money, then working with him on a trade next season to whichever team he actually wants to play for. Such a scenario would let Durant get the extra money and also help the Warriors get something back in return. Such a scenario seems like a longshot, but does remain a possibility.
Another Durant scenario involves him teaming up with Kawhi Leonard, as the two have reportedly discussed playing together. In that case, Durant would be on the move this summer, as the Warriors won't be signing both of them. That move also seems like a long shot, but in the event it happens, the two teams in the running for both players would be the Clippers and Knicks.
But whatever happens, it's clear that Durant's decision will set the framework for the summer. If he re-ups with the Warriors, it will ensure that they remain title favorites for years to come, even if they'll take a step back next season. Should Durant bolt, however, the power structure of the league will be completely upset, and could open the door for other teams to make more aggressive moves in the hope that the title race will be opened up for the foreseeable future.
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kevin-durant-free-agency-update-warriors-star-free-agent-to-announce-decision-sunday-night-per-report/
2019-06-30 19:59:00Z
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