With the NBA Draft completed, and NBA free-agency starting on July 1, we now have a better idea of who Kevin Durant, likely the most sought-after free agent this offseason, will be considering.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, Durant is expected to meet with the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, and Oklahoma City Thunder. The report also says that Durant is considering the New York Knicks.
Durant will not be meeting with his hometown Washington Wizards, something that had largely been blown out of proportion because of the story that captured all of our attention with LeBron James. Unlike James, Durant did not start with his hometown team, plus he is looking for the best possible destination to win a championship, and D.C. isn’t that.
Wojnarowski reports that the Thunder remain the frontrunners to re-sign Durant. The expectation is that he will sign a two-year deal, with a player option on the second year, allowing him to opt out and return to free agency in 2017, when Russell Westbrook will be a free agent as well. It also makes sense for a competitor like Durant, to want another shot at Golden State after coming one game from advancing to the NBA Finals.
Of the teams that are not the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Golden State Warriors and the Miami Heat appear to be the favorites to steal Durant if he were to leave. Those two teams provide two of the best chances for Durant to win and play in two of the most attractive cities in the Bay Area and Miami.
The summer of Durant should be an interesting one, and depending on what he decides to do moving forward, it could change the landscape of the NBA. Also, expect free agency to be pretty slow until he decides to make his move.
