There is no question that there is a lot of money in play for Durant in staying in OKC. I think a BIG item of consideration is if Durant asks Russ, "Are you staying in OKC if I re-sign here?" If Russ gives KD his word that he will and will resign, that is one thing. But if Russ comes back with a "business answer" and says "KD, you got to do what you got to do for you and your family".....then that leaves doubt. And that doubt could be enough for KD to leave because if his goal is to win, and Russ leaves the following summer, then KD is in trouble.
Durant would always have to take less money to leave. That's not some new game changing info. If he wasn't considering it he would have signed with okc already
I think it's the degree of the difference that is shocking...game changing from my point of view. That's an insane amount of money to walk away from.
From Bima's article: Paying Kevin Durant Most expect Durant to re-sign with Oklahoma City this summer. With Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka, the Thunder provide Durant with a competitive enough roster to justify his staying put. But re-signing with Oklahoma City does not necessarily guarantee Durant the most long-term salary. The jump in the salary cap (and, by extension, the max salary) this summer means that any team with enough cap room can offer Durant a starting salary equal to what the Thunder can offer. And with another huge jump in the cap expected next summer, a team like the Rockets could conceivably use newly available cap room to re-sign Durant next summer to a long-term deal as lucrative as anything Oklahoma City could give him.
Signing a 1-and-1 makes too much sense to me unless KD is particularly motivated by either of the following two factors: 1. He's concerned about waiting a year and losing the opportunity to lock up a multi-year deal due to potential injury. 2. He really wants to team up with another 2016 free agent like Horford (or is convinced that he will never contend for a 'ship with OKC). Otherwise, a 1-and-1 gives him the most long-term money and one more opportunity to try to win it with OKC, while still preserving his ability to chase a ring with another team in 2017.
My point was that Durant could conceivably sign a 1+1 deal with ANY team with enough cap room (including Houston) and get paid essentially as much as OKC could offer him, save for a fifth year on the deal signed in 2017. That said, a 1+1 deal with OKC is clearly the most likely outcome for Durant heading into this summer.
Better have a Plan B, Morey. Not that Durant was ever coming here, but you may as well not even bother calling him.
Because Spurs are a pretender team I retract my statements of Durant no doubtedly coming to Houston. In my professional opinion: Durants chance of leaving the Thunder: 25% If Durant does leave the Thunder he will sign with: Rockets 100%
Honestly, i'm pretty sick of all the dickriding for the Warriors, but i'd take them to win and a little hope to see Durant here, always.
