There has been talk for much of the year about the possibility of good friends Durant and Kyrie Irving teaming up for one of the New York teams. The Clippers are also said to have interest in Durant. The Mavericks will try to get into the mix, per Mannix, though that’s a longer shot. The Nets and Knicks are viewed as the most likely outside suitors for the two-time Finals MVP, and Chris Mannix of SI.com writes that both teams are expected to offer max deals. Other contenders for Durant will be limited to four-year offers worth up to about $164MM.
Woj said on ESPN’s free agency special on Tuesday night that the Warriors and KD’s camp have continued to communicate since the injury ( Twitter link via Sagar Trika). Although there have been some rumblings that the circumstances surrounding Durant’s calf and Achilles injuries resulted in a breakdown in trust between him and the Warriors, that doesn’t appear to be the case, according to Wojnarowski. The Warriors can – and likely will – offer Durant a five-year contract worth a projected $221MM+. Woj writes that Durant’s camp is keeping the process private, while Anthony Slater of The Athletic hears from sources that KD has yet to make a final decision on where he wants to continue his NBA career.
Even in the wake of his Achilles tear, which is expected to sideline him for all of the 2019/20 season, KD figures to field multiple long-term, maximum-salary offers on the open market.Ĭurrently, Durant and business manager Rich Kleiman are in New York evaluating their options for free agency, per Wojnarowski.
While there was some speculation after Durant suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in Game 5 of the NBA Finals that picking up his option could become a more viable path, he was always expected to turn it down. The option would have paid Durant a salary worth $31.5MM, per Basketball Insiders. The Nets, however, knew this was one chance in a million and had to take it with both hands, no matter the potential setbacks that could come from an injury of this magnitude.Warriors forward Kevin Durant will decline his team option for the 2019/20 season and will become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski ( Twitter link). The move was a risky one, and the New York Knicks reportedly weren’t even willing to offer a max for a player coming off a significant injury and heading into his early 30s. But I think it’s also important that your entire organization has something to prove.” Kenny and I talk about it a lot, players having that. We cannot wait to sacrifice whatever it takes to get out on the court again, and probably prove people wrong.’ Again, it’s that sort of chip on your shoulder. “When you know there’s a group of young men and women that are here saying, ‘Hell, we can’t wait for that challenge.
“That was a pretty moving moment,” said Marks, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. Days before the start of free agency, Marks gathered his medical staff, asking for a show of hands to see who was in favor of committing a max contract. Any deal the Nets would be willing to offer would mean taking a risk on Durant, who will likely not set foot on the court until the 2020-21 season.