Kevin Durant has cut his list down to four teams. Will the Nets, Clippers, Knicks or Warriors end up signing the superstar wing?
There’s a very strong chance that Kevin Durant won’t play a minute of basketball during the 2019-20 season. That isn’t stopping him from being one of the hottest targets in NBA free agency this summer. Almost every team in the league would be happy to ink the superstar wing to a long-term, max contract.
According to ESPN, Durant and his camp have already made the decision to limit their meetings to four potential suitors. The Nets, Clippers, Knicks and Warriors will all get the opportunity to make presentation to the player and his representatives.
Golden State has the advantage of being able to pay him more than their three competitors. They can offer Durant a five-year, $221 deal. Other teams will be limited to offer a four-year max that will top out at $146 million. At this time, it’s unclear whether Durant wants to lock in for as many years as possible or if he’s prefer to preserve flexibility by signing a short-term deal.
This piece will walk you through the four potential Durant suitors in order from least to most likely to win the race. Sorry Knicks fans, you’re the long shot in this race.
4. New York Knicks
The Knicks organization would like to believe they have a load of intriguing young talent to lure Durant to Gotham, but the truth is the canvas is still pretty bare. R.J. Barrett might turn into a quality player, but he’s yet to play a minute of professional basketball.
The likes of Dennis Smith, Mitchell Robinson and Kevin Knox might entice some free agents to come play their home games in the Garden, but Durant is used to playing with multiple All-Stars. It seems unlikely that he’d be willing to endure such a stark rebuilding project. Head coach David Fizdale and the Knicks front office will put on a good show, but they’re running a distant fourth in the race to sign KD.