The Golden State Warriors are facing a massive dilemma in dealing with the current situation involving Kevin Durant's future with the organization. There are rumors that Durant may request for a trade, and this is where the Warriors need to be creative in order to get the best deal that they could muster should they decide to part ways with the superstar.
Durant injured his Achilles tendon during the Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals. The injury not only put the Warriors on the brink of collapse but also shed a lot of speculations with regards to Durant's future with the team. Without Durant's wide range of offensive skill set, the Warriors eventually lost their bid for a three-peat on six games against the Toronto Raptors.
Considering the extent of his injury, Durant is still expected to land a max deal. The biggest question now is, with which team will he sign? Durant is an unrestricted free agent, which means that he can opt to sign with other teams. The caveat here is that the Warriors is the only team eligible to offer him a 5-year max contract, other teams are restricted to a 4-year offer.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst offered a unique solution to this dilemma. According to Windhorst, the Warriors could offer Durant a max five-year contract and help him with the rehab of his torn Achilles tendon. Should he insist on being traded, the Warriors can do so in the middle of next season. That way, Durant can keep his 5-year max contract and an extra $57 million, while the Warriors can use him as leverage to acquire assets instead of losing him for nothing.
While this scenario is beneficial to both parties, Durant still has the final decision on this matter. Nevertheless, if he wants to get out of the Warriors he can do so with an extra $57 million with this strategy.
While the idea is an interesting one, it is important to note that Durant will enter next season coming from a significant injury. This is not entirely unheard of as there are a number of players in the past that came into free agency while still recovering from a major injury. However, what separates Durant from the rest is his extremely valuable star status and the extent of the injury he sustained. Because of these significant factors, it is only fitting for the Warriors to find alternative strategies in dealing with this Durant situation.
