Free agency is right around the corner and we all know who the biggest fish is in this year’s offseason. It is Kevin Durant. The obvious question is, does he resign with Oklahoma City or does he decide to venture off into another city to chase that elusive title? If he decides to leave where will he go? He could pick any destination in the entire NBA that he wanted. Teams would do everything to make room to sign him. Could he go to Los Angeles to be apart of the Lakers glorified and rich history? Does he go to Los Angeles to start the creation of a legacy for the Clippers? Does he find he way to San Antonio to play under one of the greatest coaches ever? There are rumors he will head to the bay in Oakland to play for Golden State or to south beach to play for Miami as well.
He could go to New York to play in the greatest arena in the world, Madison Square Garden, and the city dying for a great basketball team. Another likely scenario could be the nation’s capital, which happens to be Kevin Durant’s hometown team. He has shot down all of the rumors about playing for the Wizards saying he has no desire to do so, but it is hard to believe that to be true.
There are pros and cons for each destination and it may be difficult to predict where Durant goes but one thing is for sure; summer ’16 is the race for Kevin Durant.
Durant can go to two teams in Los Angeles. Many players want to play in the city of angels because of the Hollywood lifestyle and the great year-round weather. The Lakers have a long history of legendary players and countless championships. Durant could really thrive in purple and gold. The fans would love him and he could be the next great Laker. One of the cons is the pressure he would have to try and live up to following Kobe. It would be a tall task for any player to take on. Kobe has left a shadow in Los Angeles almost as big as the one Jordan left in Chicago. Another con is the young, inexperienced roster. Going to play for the Lakers would be another rebuild that may take three to four years, and Durant is not at the point of his career where he wants to patiently wait and rebuild and this could be the biggest reason he snubs the Lakers this summer.
If Los Angeles is the city he really wants to be in, he can still play there with the Clippers if the Lakers aren’t enticing enough for him. It would allow him to play for Doc Rivers and possibly with Chris Paul. A major issue is that the Clippers will always be the little brothers to the Lakers, even if they win a title and for that to change they need to win 17 titles. They will never be able to get out from under the Laker’s shadow, Los Angeles is, and will always be a Laker town.
A popular rumor on where Kevin Durant might end up is in Golden State. Playing with Steph Curry would be intriguing for anyone, but the major appeal is that Golden State is on the verge of coming off back to back championships along with breaking a record for wins in a season. Another reason Durant may want to play in the bay is that Steve Kerr has proven to be a phenomenal coach. One issue though, is this move would not make sense for Golden State, because to pull this off they would have to do a sign and trade which would mess up the current roster that has been very successful and is still relatively young. Why would they want to mess up the chemistry of this highly successful team? I don’t think they would nor should they. I know in my introduction I said he could pick any destination, but this is the one exception.
Miami has said that one of their biggest goals this offseason is to get a sit down with Kevin Durant. Miami has a lot to offer as a city, with the night life and amazing beaches. Pat Riley is also a legendary basketball mind. He would also get to play in the eastern conference which may allow him an easier path to the finals. With all that said, it is unlikely Durant follows in LeBron’s footsteps and takes his talents to south beach.
Along with all these places Durant can go to he can also play for New York, San Antonio and his home, in the nation’s capitol, but there is only one place for him this summer. Kevin Durant will stay in Oklahoma City. Why would he go anywhere else? He has a team with an extremely talented roster that features big men, shooters and a top five player in the NBA in Russell Westbrook. It will be hard to find a team more suited for a title than the current one he is on. He needs to fight through adversity and continue on the mission he started with the Thunder. It also makes sense financially for him to sign a two year deal with an option in the second year. The reason it is smart for Durant to take this option is because he would be able to opt out in the second year of the deal and then sign a contract worth approximately 200 million dollars.
At the end of the day it will be hard for Durant to find a franchise that is capable of giving him better pieces than the Thunder already have to win a championship. Oklahoma City also allows him the opportunity to make the most money and for these reasons, Kevin Durant will stay in Oklahoma City this summer.