Boston & Miami would make the most sense. He can get into the East asap right when Lebron is winding down. Boston has a good team now, in need of a scorer. They have the #3 pick, #16 & #23 along with the rest of their stockpile (more than enough room to bring in what they'd need to get to a championship quality team in a short period of time). Plus they have cap space, if they could entice Al Horford to come to Boston too, they'd be favorites in my opinion in the East. Thomas / Smart Bradley / Denzel Valentine? Crowder / Taurean Prince? Durant / Amir Johnson Horford / Bender? / Olynyk Miami already has a nice stockpile of young players that could be built around Durant if they resign Whiteside. And if Bosh doesn't have to be relied upon as a primary guy, would be better for his health, if he can get back to being healthy. Wade still has a bit left in the gastank, Dragic is a bit up and down but solid for the most part. Dragic / Wade / Richardson Winslow / Durant / Bosh Whiteside / McRoberts Both of those teams would be dominant for years to come in the East. Why he wants to stay with OKC when it hasn't worked for 9 years now in the tough West when he can just get to the finals and increase his odds year in, year out?
It's already out there that he won't consider them, hiring Scottie Brooks was just the final nail in their coffin......probably like how hiring Mike D'Antoni is the final nail in Houston's coffin when it comes to pursuing Durant.
He's staying in OKC. But if he were to leave, going East makes sense. No, not Washington. That's not attractive at all. Raptors, Heat, Hawks & Celtics. And if he's not hopping on the two best teams [record wise] in the West, there's really no other options. Clippers? They'd have some roster/cap maneuvering to do.
Staying in OKC, but i think Boston is the right choice. Going EAST to build a big three there is the most logical choice. Boston can sign Durant and Horford and use their draft picks to trade for a 3rd star all while maintaining their strong core of very good role payers and a great coach and organization. Who that 3rd star could be? Is Boogie ready to demand a trade? If so, Boston has the best package. Are the Clippers fed up with underachieving every year of CP3's Clipper career? Are they ready to rebuild(retool) around Blake while he's still young? Boston's #3 pick and Marcus Smart makes sense for CP3.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kevin Durant projected to make most money by signing 1-year deal w/ <a href="https://twitter.com/okcthunder">@okcthunder</a>, then 5-yr deal once cap rises: <a href="https://t.co/ocqdE8XqrK">pic.twitter.com/ocqdE8XqrK</a></p>— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/737664206753783808">May 31, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Most insiders see the most likely scenario at present to be Kevin Durant staying in OKC on a two-year max deal with an opt-out after Year 1.</p>— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/737550120086962177">May 31, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Celtics have the brightest future in the East. Miami is more of a win-now team. Does Miami have the means to sign Durant if Whiteside is signed for the max? If Bosh gets, and stays, healthy, Miami would be a strong choice. Should be a tough decision between OKC and Boston, with Miami in a distant second.
Durant should want to play with stars, I don't know how good the pitch for Durant would be by the Celtics with "You will dominate with Isaiah Thomas!" from the Celtics Celtics have to trade for a star. I think Okc, Spurs, Rockets
That would be obvious to Ainge and it would most likely come on draft day. Remember, he pulled off KG and Ray Allen on draft day also IIRC.
Wade is also a FA. If they sign Whiteside to the max then Wade has to take a paycut. They don't have Bird Rights on Whiteside so they couldn't sign both Whiteside and Durant if they are both getting the max. They could let Whiteside walk and sign Durant but then Wade would have to take an even bigger paycut.
If that's the case, then I'm pretty sure Wade would take a paycut, if it meant getting Durant. Bosh could probably restructure his contract too; if both Wade and Bosh take reduced money, they could probably sign both Whiteside, Durant and another solid player. Dragic / PG with the money left over Wade / Winslow Durant / Deng Bosh / McRoberts Whiteside / Stoudemire / Haslem That's a really, really good team.
don't think that is realistically an option but it should be noted bosh's basketball career is still very much an uncertainty still
Yeah, I mean the Celtics only have two of the leagues best two way players in Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder, exactly the types of 3 & D players you need to matchup against the Warriors. Thomas btw made the all star game, averaged 22 points a game for the year, shoots the 3 ball fairly well. Whats wrong with him? Celtics won 48 games last year, including being one of 2 teams to beat GS on their home floor, and nearly knocked them off at home. Celtics are a damn fine team, add in Horford and Durant they're suddenly 2nd or 3rd best in the NBA.
He's not going to Miami...Riley is going to try but Whiteside can leave, Wade is old, Bosh is old and in a bad situation...Dragic is already 30 years old (and doesn't even fit well with Wade)...they're just an old injured team at this point, he's not going there. Boston is the only possible destination for him in the East -> IF they can trade for an all star before free agency starts. Cause only Durant and Horford would not be enough to win. In the West i think you can count out the Warriors, he's not going there, he'll always be in the shadow of Curry and just joining the best team ever bla bla...i can't see him end up there. The Spurs may be in play but: 1. if Duncan is going to retire (and maybe even if he's staying since he seems to be done) they'll have to sign a center, probably Pau which will not be that cheap. 2. in any case they'll need to trade Green and/or leave a couple of good bench players like Diaw and Mills... Considering that Parker and Ginobili are also more done than not, i'm not sure this is a Spurs move but yeah, in the end we're talking about Durant so, maybe even the Spurs are going to move in a different way than what they're used to. Lakers, Knicks are just named for the lulz and to act like they're still relevant, i expect some sauces saying that Durant is trilled to play for Lucky Luke in LA...but yeah, no chance for them. The Wizards are just not good enough, Beal is always injured and overrated, Wall is really good but not a superstar, Gortat is good but over 30, Kieef is an idiot, the organization is just not good...no chance. In the end i think the only teams with a chance to sign him if he leaves OKC are Rockets, Spurs and Celtics. And everyone of these teams need to make moves to have a chance to sign him. Last thing, i think we have a huge advantage having Harden, cause i think he'll speak with Durant soon so Morey will know early if he's willing to play here or not.
do they have that kind of cap space? i was under the impression that just to resign Whiteside, Wade will need to take a significant paycut + they'll have to let Deng & Haslem go and if Miami resign Whiteside they will not have any $$ to chase after any free agent of any significance let alone Durant. Seems to me, even the Pacers make more sense than Miami. The Pacers will have enough cap room to sign Durant to a max + another free agent around 7-8 million range. A team of George Hill + Monta Ellis + Paul George + Durant + Myles Turner seems like a contender in the East to me.
You can't restructure a contract in the NBA. Also, Miami doesn't have enough cap room to sign both Whiteside and Durant at the max even if they renounce Wade.
