OKLAHOMA CITY -- The cover of EA Sports' new NBA video game features Kevin Durant on the cover in a white Oklahoma City Thunder jersey. Durant hopes he'll soon be signed up to wear that jersey for a long time. The NBA's scoring champion from last season will get the opportunity to negotiate an extension with the Thunder on July 1 and he's looking forward to signing on the dotted line. Durant "I hope it happens, man. I'm really emphasizing how much I really enjoy playing for the Oklahoma City team and playing for that city," Durant said in a phone interview Tuesday after the NBA ELITE 11 cover was unveiled. "Hopefully something gets done. I work hard and hopefully things start to pan out for me. We'll see what happens on July 1." Durant was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2007 draft and won the Rookie of the Year award. Last season, he was selected as an All-Star for the first time and averaged 30.1 points to become the youngest player to lead the league in scoring. He is signed with the Thunder through next season under his original rookie contract, which would pay him about $5 million next year. Oklahoma City, which is well under the salary cap, could offer him more than two times that much -- with the actual amount dependent on where the cap is set for next season. Durant said he'd prefer to have the contract done with soon, but he won't be hurt if there isn't an offer waiting for him when negotiations are allowed to open next week. "I'm not going to be disappointed at all because I like playing the game," Durant said. "I have the chance to play again the year after that. I won't be disappointed because I'm still going to play the game of basketball, but I would like to have something done by the end of the season." Durant, 21, has continued to build on his stardom by holding a Nike basketball camp alongside the Great Wall of China earlier this month, and he'll also be playing for the U.S. at the world championships this summer in Turkey. He also visited Hong Kong last offseason. "I never thought basketball would take me all the way across the world," Durant said. "It shows how big the game has gotten." His latest accomplishment is being picked by EA Sports to be on the cover of the first installment of its new video game, replacing the NBA Live series. Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Dwight Howard were among the players chosen to be on the cover in recent years. Behind Durant, who finished second in the voting for the NBA's most improved player last season, the Thunder increased their win total from 23 to 50 before being eliminated by the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs. "Being on the cover of a video game, it's big-time," said Durant, who was previously on the cover of NCAA March Madness 08. "A lot of kids will be able to see who the Thunder are now, because of the video game, so I'm very excited about that." Durant said it's a fitting honor, considering how often he plays the game. "Not a little bit. A lot," he said, admitting he knows the cheat codes, too. "When I'm not at the gym, I'm always on the video game. It was an easy decision for me." I'm sure he'll get one too, he'll be the face of the thunder for a very long time. I'm happy for him too, he seems like a nice guy, never hear about him being a bad sportsman or getting into trouble. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5316741
I think he will get one as well but this is why you let your agent do the talking. He just told the Thunder he'd be OK with playing for 5 mil next season when it could potentially be 15 mil with an extension this summer. Why in the world would OKC extend now if they know they can have him for cheap and extend later.
Honestly, KD doesn't sound like he really cares about money that much anyways, but rather winning with the Thunder. Good for him.
I really hope KD stays with OKC(unless he wants to come to Houston ). Hopefully he won't sell out to the Lakers or Knicks like all the other jaded superstars. OKC better lock this boy up for as long as they can.
Yeah why is this even a story? We're not talking about him being a FA, its just all about extending his contract. What kind of GM will not extend Durant? LOL. This is just as silly as D-Will extension story a while back.
I am not so sure they will extend him, there is a reason he wants it so bad right now. Yea he likes the franchise and has loyalty, but under the new CBA the contracts could very well be much smaller and he knows that, and thats why thunder might wait it out to see the new CBA and how mcuh they could save with that.
The floor and ceiling for Durant's salary is the same: the max for the max number of years. Durant can talk like this because OKC will offer the max.
Look at that. An elite players showing some loyalty. Love the passion and attitude. Lebron could learn a thing or two.
It doesn't work that way. Durant will still get his rookie scale salary next year regardless of whether he signs an extension. It's an EXTENSION. His increased salary won't kick in until after his rookie deal is up in 2011. For instance, Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge still made their respective rookie scale salaries this past season, despite having signed their extensions last summer. Come July 1, however, their salaries will increase substantially. As for Durant wanting an extension THIS summer, he's got to be thinking that salaries could go down next summer with a new CBA. However, if he really cares about winning, he won't force OKC's hand. The Thunder actually have some decent cap room that they can use PRIOR to extending Durant. He might want to see what's available out there as far as free agents coming in before he forces an extension out of OKC. He'll get the max, regardless. But the Thunder may have to move some contracts around over the next year or two.
