The 2018-19 NBA season has finally started with the Golden State Warriors drawing first blood against one of the Western Conference’s powerhouse teams: the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite his struggle shooting the ball from beyond the arc, Kevin Durant still had a major impact on both ends of the floor, finishing the game with 27 points, eight rebounds, six assists, one block, and one steal on 42.9 percent shooting from the field.
As of now, Kevin Durant is focused on winning his third consecutive NBA championship. However, rumors still continue to circulate on Durant regarding his impending free agency. In the recent offseason, the 30-year-old small forward signed a two-year contract with a player option that will enable him to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports , rival executives have a strong belief that Kevin Durant “might be swayed” to leave the Warriors in the 2019 NBA free agency. Sources reportedly told Haynes that the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Los Angeles Clippers will try to sign Durant once he hits the free agency market.
“The New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers will take a run at the back-to-back Finals MVP, league sources told Yahoo Sports. Personnel from the Clippers are expected to attend a high number of Warriors games this season, sources said. Rival executives are of the belief that Durant, unlike the previous two summers he hit free agency with the Warriors, might be swayed to leave the Bay Area this time around. The Warriors will attempt to retain him at all costs with their move to the new Chase Center in San Francisco scheduled for the 2019-20 season.”
The Lakers are reportedly planning to “take a run” at making this pairing a reality by signing Kevin Durant next summer. https://t.co/vs4BsGKyG4 pic.twitter.com/zHB8b7vYrv
— Silver Screen and Roll (@LakersSBN) October 17, 2018
The Knicks and Lakers are set to have enough salary cap space to give Kevin Durant a maximum contract, while the Clippers will have two max slots to sign KD and another superstar free agent. Of the three NBA teams, the Lakers could be the most intriguing destination for the Warriors’ superstar.
By joining the purple and gold, Kevin Durant still has a strong chance of competing for the NBA championship since he will be teaming up with LeBron James in Los Angeles. Most NBA fans, except those who support the Warriors, would love seeing Durant taking his talent somewhere else. His departure from Golden State will dramatically change the NBA landscape and make the future NBA seasons more exciting and less predictable.
