The NBA season has only just tipped off, but one storyline sure to dominate headlines already puts a focus on the upcoming offseason. Kevin Durant is going to be a free agent, and nobody — not even the Warriors — know what he’ll do.
According to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, Durant’s future is considered to be unknown by everyone from the Warriors to Durant himself. Even last season, as the Warriors railed off 58 regular season wins en route to a NBA championship, the team had concerns that Durant would leave.
"I don't think Durant or the people closest to him know what he's going to do. The Warriors don't. They will pitch him on his comfort in the Bay Area; business connections there; and their sparking new arena -- the one for which Durant broke ceremonial ground.
I spent last season's Finals talking to everyone I could about Durant, trying to figure him out. The sense I got from the Warriors was that they found Durant unknowable -- and were afraid even much of last season he would leave."
Quietly, Durant re-signed with the Warriors in the offseason on a two-year contract worth roughly $30 million per year, but he is expected to exercise his player option and opt out again after this season. This time, he may just choose to leave.
Lowe suggests that Durant, with two championships in hand, will eventually want to go elsewhere and play as the “undisputed alpha dog.” His best guess? Durant goes east, partnering with Kristaps Porzingis on the New York Knicks.
For now, this is all conjecture — interesting, worthwhile conjecture, but still conjecture. Durant and the Warriors are going to compete for another championship this year, and the events of next July don’t seem all that likely to loosen their focus.
Now, videos of enormous snakes? We know those can hold Durant’s attention.
h/t ESPN
