When the word started coming out that Kevin Durant has formally declined his $31.5 million player option with the Golden State Warriors, the only question that matters now is: "Where KD is headed to?" True, it is a wide-open option for the former NBA MVP, but it appears he's inclined to do what makes sense the most. Durant will remain in the Bay Area.
This despite the rumors that the New York Knicks would want to take him in, and the team is moving heaven and earth to get Jimmy Butler and pair them together. There's also the talk of KD jumping to the Brooklyn Nets, where he would have the chance to play with Kyrie Irving. The latter is sure to hit the free agency market and leave the Boston Celtics.
Another option does not require Durant to say goodbye to California. He can go to Los Angeles and enlist with the Lakers, and then be comforted with the idea of winning titles despite his injury woes. KD, after all, will be part of a powerful troika that will also star LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
However, Durant securing a spot on the Lakers lineup seems next to impossible now. According to SB Nation, the L.A. front office will need to perform some magic to make room for KD. As things stand now, it's a struggle for the Lakers to even free up cap space of at least $30 and to squeeze into their roster the max for Durant is $38.1 million.
That is why it would seem rosier for the two-time NBA champ to look east and make a deal with any of the New York teams interested in having him around. Whether Durant lands with the Nets or the Knicks, he is assured of a super-max deal that will fatten his bank account by up to $164 million. He'd stay for four years.
The real question is, will Durant head east when surely the Warriors can bring to the table a much better deal. It is well-known that only the Dubs can sign KD to a five-year deal that would pay a max of $221. This would be a win-win for KD, and he'd be crazy to walk away given his current situation. In any angle, a new contract from the GSW will give Durant a blanket of security that should last a lifetime.
According to Bleacher Report, all the excitement generated by Durant's entry into the 2019 free agency market will have a predictable conclusion. KD will opt for "maximum financial security" over any prospect of fresh adventures.
And most importantly, the same report is convinced Durant will make his fateful decision next week highly dependent on his desire to continue playing alongside Stephen Curry. So that should settle the question where KD's latest free agency episode will bring him next.
