Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant is a superstar in every sense of the word, there’s no denying that. But there’s also no ignoring the fact that Durant is now just part of a superteam in the Bay Area, which has largely impacted his potential to be a top-tier MVP candidate in the eyes of many.
In turn, this has led to speculation that the Warriors star could leave town in 2019 free agency. But as ESPN’s Zach Lowe revealed, the team’s front office actually may have thought Durant would leave town ahead of the 2018-19 season.
The sense I got from the Warriors was that they found Durant unknowable — and were afraid even much of last season he would leave. Surviving Houston in the conference finals cleared the atmosphere. On the flight home after Game 7, Durant plopped into the seat next to Bob Myers, Golden State’s general manager, and declared, “I have never felt more a part of the team,” Myers told me.
Based on those comments, it seems the Warriors’ ability to come back and take down the Houston Rockets helped the 30-year-old’s chances of returning, at least for one year. But now, we’re dealing with talks which have linked him to various other teams.
Kevin Durant’s Potential Moves After Season
Say what you will, but there’s virtually no way to gauge what Durant could opt to do after the season winds down. Many things can change over the span of one season, and so many stars over the years have proven that true.
But one thing that does jump out is the thought of the All-Star joining the New York Knicks, which Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports previously reported as a possibility. Durant would essentially be playing a role in turning the franchise around and potentially teaming up with another intriguing talent in Kristaps Porzingis.
The thought is interesting and realistic, but Durant could also kick around the idea of playing with LeBron James on the Los Angeles Lakers or choosing another team in the East. As you can tell, he’s one of the NBA’s biggest wild cards at this point.
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Warriors Believed Kevin Durant Was Leaving in 2018 Free Agency?