Getty LeBron James is expected to try to recruit Kevin Durant to sign with the LA Lakers.
Kevin Durant may have said it best: “I’m Kevin Durant. You know who I am.”
It was arguably the most eye-opening comment by an NBA player this season, even more than his attempts to push aside the media. He’s also not wrong, because this is a player who will almost undoubtedly be the most sought-after free agent this summer. And one thing that won’t change regardless of what the Golden State Warriors star forward says, is the level of interest involving the chatter around Durant’s free agency decision.
Durant faces yet another offseason of uncertainty when it comes to his future with the franchise and potentially where he could play the remainder of his career. While there’s no clear-cut answer on where the former MVP is leaning towards playing, the rumors haven’t cooled off in the slightest.
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We’re going to evaluate the latest on Durant’s future and rumblings about the high-profile free agency decision that lies ahead.
Kevin Durant-Knicks Free Agency Rumors Heating Up
The New York Knicks are the expected destination for Durant. There’s no way to sugarcoat that, and on the surface, it almost appears that the Knicks are preparing for that, but obviously haven’t said anything directly about that previously.
But The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov brought up a question which he asked Knicks coach David Fizdale about how different he expects the team to look next year, and the answer was interesting.
“Very different. We’ll be a little more seasoned and hopefully all things hit that we go after and it puts us right in the mix of being a winning team.” Fizdale said.
And then there was a nice attempt by Fizdale to hype up Knicks fans even more by telling them it’s going to be a “better season” ahead, per Vorkunov.
“Get ready, Knicks fans, we’re getting better. It’s going to be a whole better season next year.”
But that’s just reading between the lines. When it comes to some reports and the wild rumors, ESPN’s Ian Begley offered some eye-opening insight on the outlook around the league. As he reports, Durant’s former teammates and even his current ones have apparently mentioned the belief that the star will head to the Knicks.
It’s easier to find street parking in Manhattan than it is to find an NBA executive, player or coach who doesn’t think Durant is going to sign with the Knicks in July.
Some of Durant’s former teammates think it’s going to happen, per ESPN sources. Several of his current teammates have told friends that they think it’s going to happen, sources said. Opposing agents believe it’s a fait accompli: “Just a matter of putting pen to paper,” is how one agent of another top free agent in the 2019 free agent class put it.
If we’re being brutally honest, those comments are hard to ignore. When Durant’s own teammates and those who have spent a lot of time with him are all pointing in the same direction, it’s noteworthy.
LeBron James & Lakers Could Ramp Up Efforts
The Los Angeles Lakers have been a bit all over in terms of the rumors involving their own upcoming free agency plans. But one thing we know for certain is that they want a star to pair up with LeBron James, maybe even two.
LeBron himself may have let us all know where the interest lies without intentionally doing so. As Bleacher Report NBA revealed just days ago, James followed Durant on Instagram, and it obviously turned into a thing.
This goes along with a report in mid-April from NBA analyst Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson, who stated that Durant is still the Lakers’ top free agency priority.
But the Lakers have also been linked to Kawhi Leonard and there’s the always-fun topic of Anthony Davis and a potential blockbuster trade with the New Orleans Pelicans. As things stand, this could go a number of different ways, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Durant remain as the Lakers’ primary target when the offseason begins.
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