Durant is not going to Boston. If that's the kind of team he's looking at, it would make much more sense for him to simply stay in OKC.
Durant is just doing the usual. Praising the teams. Almost every sought after star does this. He also said good things about Washington. Doesn't mean anything. I would be shocked if he went to Boston. It's cold, it's small market, they dont' have another star or even a high potential young player. You don't attract stars with draft picks or rookies.
so if OKC doesn't make the finals, and the Warriors aren't his first choice, and Washington and the Lakers aren't frontrunners for Durant... what does that leave?
Woj with the common sense; Boston isn't a threat to sign him. IMHO Houston, OKC, and the Warriors are the only teams that make sense. And with OKC you've got the threat of WB leaving right after you resign and the very real possibility of getting bounced by the Warriors/Spurs juggernaut. So you either do the if you can't beat em join em and coattail onto the Warriors. Or you take the challenge join another top ten player and your buddy in Harden along with another max guy like Horford and some decent depth to try and dethrone them. Personally I think Durant bails on OKC. It's not like they haven't had success, 3 WCF and 1 Finals appearance in 5 years is nothing to sneeze at. However they're not going to win this year so that's 6 years of no rings with the same core. He has to know it's hopeless and he needs to try a different situation. So the Warriors or the Rockets which will it be KD?
Durant is never going to win a ring. Russell Westbrook is never going to win a ring. Chris Paul or Blake Griffin are never going to win a ring. John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, or Carmelo Anthony are never going to win a ring. Dwight Howard or James Harden are never going to win a ring. Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love are never going to win a ring. Lebron James is never going to win another ring. Unless you're the Spurs or Warriors, you're just playing for a fat paycheck now.
Everyone ignoring the Spurs. Dark horse candidate! Rival execs believe the Spurs will chase Kevin Durant in offseason
I guess the Spurs could trade Danny Green's 10M/per contract into another team's space to create the 25M/per that is needed for Durant. I could see a number of teams jumping on that. Durant/Leonard/Aldridge troika would be frightening! Don't do it KD!....come to Houston!
Sure, it'd take some roster/cap maneuvering but you better believe they'd do it if Durant says I'm interested. No different than Golden State.
I am sorry to say, but the more I think about this, the more I think the Spurs are a serious threat for KD. More than the Warriors even. Just in terms of the team make-up and KD having the ability on the Spurs to be the featured guy (whereas on the Warriors he would be second fiddle to Curry). KD wants to win, but "how he wins/the role he will play in the wins" I think might matter to him. Spurs & Heat would be serious threats for KD. Just hope Harden can be a serious recruiter for KD. Hopefully that friendship will hold a lot of meaning. I still feel like if the Rockets want to get a serious chance at KD, Harden will have to be a big factor and the ability to add another MAX contract player like Horford is a key. If you are Houston, you can justify saying Harden/KD/Horford + quality coach (Thibs/JVG etc) would at least be close to Leonard/KD/Aldridge + Pop. And then add on the KD/Harden friendship. So, Houston would have a lot of work to do to get those items in place.
I do not want to look at that lineup. (They would probably have to trade Green to clear the space.) ---------------------- I prefer this lineup :grin: C Horford PF Beasley SF Durant SG Harden PG Beverley
