Getty LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers goes up to shoot and get fouled by Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors are smashing the Los Angeles Lakers in Staples Center, sprinting out to a 27-point first-quarter lead and holding on for an 18-point margin heading into halftime.
With LeBron James shut down for the season, the franchise has given up on the on-court product. It has freed up the future Hall of Famer to potentially recruit Kevin Durant during a timeout. The pair exchanged words during a second-quarter timeout, covering their mouths to prevent commentators to read their lips.
It has led to fans speculating on the nature of their conversation. Several went to social media to provide half-serious and sometimes downright sarcastic interpretations.
@SportsCenter Lebron : you still coming right?
Durant : and nobody has any idea, they think I’m going to New York. 🤣
LeBron: You got more room in Golden State?
Durant: Hell nah, we good.
The halftime show team joked that LeBron was asking Durant to be on his reality show The Shop. It’s likely that the two were just taking the time to make a viral moment on social media, when they actually joked around.
Just for fun, let’s go over some recent rumors about Durant’s destination next season.
Kevin Durant Future Destination Rumors
In yesterday’s rumor update, I brought up that NBA insider Ric Bucher has said that Durant leaving Golden State this offseason is a done deal. He went on to predict that Durant’s future is with the New York Knicks.
“It’s not a matter of liking or appreciating what (Durant) has (in Golden State), ” Bucher continued, “but being there, I can tell you that Kevin Durant has never been fully embraced by the Warriors faithful.”
Bucher then speculated that New York would be a place that would fully appreciate what the All-Star brings to the table.
“Where can he go where he’s going to be wildly appreciated,” Bucher said. “I can tell you one place. The New York Knicks. The New York Knicks fans. Madison Square Garden. If he so much as gets them into the conference finals after all they have not done over the last multiple decades, he will be beloved there like he never has been in Golden State after winning two championships.”
ESPN’s Jalen Rose said the lack of appreciation is a national media issue, saying that Durant is dealing with a similar issue to the one that led him to flee Oklahoma City.
“I believe he’s going to leave,” Rose said. “And as I watched the team a little bit further over this last month, I started to take it a step further and consider myself saying, ‘These are the reasons he should leave.’ How about being the kind of guy that puts up the numbers that he puts up and you’re never going to be considered for the MVP? How about a guy that left the Oklahoma City Thunder to come to the Golden State Warriors, won Finals MVP back-to-back years, and that does not make him happy? How about when we talking about who the best players in the game is? He don’t even get mentioned.
Durant is averaging 26.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. He also carries a 2-year, $61 million contract with Golden State at the moment. New York is projected to have $72 million of cap space next year per Spotrac.