NBA Rumors: Warriors, Kevin Durant Likely Headed For Split With Nets, Knicks Pursuing Free Agent

There is tons of uncertainty surrounding Kevin Durant’s free agency now that a ruptured Achilles will likely force him to miss all of next year. The two-time NBA Finals MVP still has teams lining up to offer him a max contract, despite the chance that he might never return to an elite superstar level.

The Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks are ready to pay Durant $164 million over four years, including a $38.15 million salary to sit on the bench in the 2019-2020 season. The Golden State Warriors can guarantee Durant $57 million more with a five-year, $221 million contract, which they are expected to present to their best player.

Such an offer might be difficult to turn down for a player that might have just suffered a career-altering injury. Some have speculated that when Durant went down in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals, it increased the likelihood of him staying in the Bay Area and taking a deal that will pay him more than $50 million when he’s 35 years old.

The latest rumors, however, suggest that Durant’s time with the Warriors has ended.

According to Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher, Durant is focused on going to New York City. The report indicates that the Knicks and Nets are both under consideration with Durant ready to move across the country.

Bucher noted that Durant is unhappy with the way his injury was handled. After being cleared to return from a strained calf that cost Durant nine playoff games, he tore his Achilles within 12 minutes of being back on the court.

ESPN’s Jay Williams, who is friends with Durant, ripped the Warriors on “Get Up” earlier this month for misdiagnosing Durant’s injury. Durant flew to New York to undergo surgery after getting hurt, which Williams believes signaled the end of Durant’s relationship with Golden State.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has suggested that the Warriors could try to sign Durant to a max contract with the understanding that Golden State would facilitate a trade for the All-Star if he wanted to be elsewhere after finishing his rehab.

Assuming the Warriors are actually considering making Durant such a proposal, they might not be very confident in their chances of keeping the 10-time All-Star.

Warriors’ sixth man Andre Iguodala said on CNBC Monday that he believes both Durant and Klay Thompson will re-sign with Golden State. Thompson will seek a max contract this offseason after tearing his ACL in Game 6 of the finals, though it would be shocking if he doesn’t stay in Golden State.

“We’ll see,” Warriors general manager Bob Myers told reporters Monday when asked if he was optimistic that Golden State would re-sign both Durant and Thompson.

There were rumors all season long that Durant had his eyes on New York City. Draymond Green was suspended by the Warriors for a game because he reportedly dared his teammate to leave in free agency. Various reports noted that members of the organization believed Durant was headed to the Big Apple.

The Knicks seemed like the logical destination, especially when they traded Kristaps Porzingis in order to create two max salary slots. New York has been hoping to sign both Durant and Kyrie Irving, who reportedly have designs of playing together.

The Nets recently cleared just about enough cap space two acquire two max free agents. With Irving reportedly set on joining Brooklyn, New York’s second team might be the new frontrunner to sign Durant.

The Warriors reached the NBA Finals in all three seasons with Durant on the roster, going 9-1 when the future Hall of Famer took the court. Golden State failed to three-peat when Durant missed all but one game against the Toronto Raptors, and their dynasty could effectively end in a few days with the star’s decision to play elsewhere.