Know this much about the Kevin Durant free agency sweepstakes that has already unofficially begun: He wouldn’t be taking a single meeting outside of Oklahoma City if he already knew what jersey he planned to wear next season.
If Durant is anything, it’s genuine. Love him or hate him – and really, how in the world could you hate this guy? – the Thunder star it not in the business of being inauthentic.
So on July 1 when the Thunder, Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat start to come his way to discuss the prime years of his career, he will be all ears. The man isn’t one to waste anybody’s time.
Yet while that might be enough to keep Thunder general manager Sam Presti up for a few torturous nights, the prospect of Durant returning on a two-year deal (with a player option in the second) to the only franchise he has ever known remains as likely now as it did on the night his latest season ended in that Western Conference Finals Game 7 loss at Oracle Arena. And yes, that’s still the case after the Thunder’s shocking draft night trade Thursday.
By all accounts, the trade that sent Serge Ibaka to Orlando in exchange for Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova and No. 11 pick Domantas Sabonis was, in essence, Durant approved. He wasn’t hopping on the trade call, of course, but the nature of this situation meant his perspective simply had to be accounted for.
The move, which made the Thunder younger, deeper and far more flexible going into next summer’s free agency when they could have had Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka as unrestricted free agents, was the latest proof that Presti is a master of sustained success. Add in the massive edge the Thunder hold on the financial front – one that I chronicled at great length in this May 10 piece – and their pitch is about as close to perfect as anyone else’s in this bunch.
So the Thunder enter into this stage with respectful optimism, knowing Durant has earned the right to hear out other teams and that, both now and in 2007 when they drafted him during the Seattle SuperSonics days, they’re lucky to have him. There are, in other words, no hard feelings about all these free-agency flirtations.
As for the other suitors whose odds of landing him still seem relatively slim? Those meetings will matter – the key word there being "meetings." If your team doesn’t have one by now, you shouldn’t be feeling too confident about your place in the Durant race.
Despite years of speculation about Durant possibly signing with his hometown Washington Wizards or the Los Angeles Lakers, a person with knowledge of his situation told USA TODAY Sports that those two teams are not expected to land a meeting with the former MVP. The New York Knicks have earned their way onto Durant’s radar, having traded for Derrick Rose recently to create quite the combination with Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis. Yet as of now, it remains to be seen how that particular scenario will be handled. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the situation with other teams.
Barring an unforeseen change in which a meeting is granted as a way of helping a franchise save face, this development will come as quite a blow to the Lakers group that spent the past few years planning with Durant’s free agency in mind. There are other free agency fish in the sea, to be sure, but none with the star power of a Durant. As for the Wizards, they’re taking the two-track approach: patiently waiting on Durant’s call with hopes of being surprised while moving on with their non-Durant free agency plans so as not to be slowed down by a pipe dream.
There’s a never-say-never element that will exist for the six invited teams, with impressive individuals at every scheduled stop who will paint a compelling picture for Durant to ponder. The Warriors, who were relatively confident even before their Finals loss made the prospect of Durant coming their way more palatable, are daring to dream right now. The Spurs, who showed in landing LaMarcus Aldridge last summer that they can win a free agency free-for-all, will take a similar approach to this visit.
The Boston Celtics have quite the promising future to sell – especially in the inferior Eastern Conference – and it doesn’t hurt general manager Danny Ainge’s case that Durant has long had an affinity for the great Larry Bird. Durant in Beantown, should the luck of the Irish fall in their favor, would be the modern-day version of that Larry Legend love affair that the city had with those teams of the 1980s.
Doc Rivers and his Clippers, who would likely have to sign-and-trade forward Blake Griffin to bring Durant to town, have a one-of-a-kind market, top-tier ownership and a title-contending roster to pitch. Then with Miami, putting the Heat’s godfather, Pat Riley, in a room with any NBA superstar is always trouble for the team trying to bring him back.
Durant doesn’t yet know what he will do, and that alone is reason to pay close attention in the next few weeks. His decision is expected to come quickly, before a July 9 trip to Europe that is seen as the possible finish line. While free agents can verbally agree to deals starting on July 1, they can’t formally sign until July 7.
It won’t be quite as understated as it was in 2010, when he sent a tweet about his five-year extension with the Thunder and went on his way. But with the Thunder firmly in the lead, he will be listening. What happens next is up to him.
