Kevin Durant is signing with the Golden State Warriors
Kevin Durant is signing with the Golden State Warriors.
After four days of meetings with several teams, Durant announced his decision on Monday on The Player's Tribune.
Durant wrote:
The primary mandate I had for myself in making this decision was to have it based on the potential for my growth as a player - as that has always steered me in the right direction. But I am also at a point in my life where it is of equal importance to find an opportunity that encourages my evolution as a man: moving out of my comfort zone to a new city and community which offers the greatest potential for my contribution and personal growth. With this in mind, I have decided that I am going to join the Golden State Warriors.
Durant will sign a two-year deal with the Warriors, with a player option for the second year, allowing him to potentially hit free agency again next season.
It's a huge blow for the Thunder and a potentially league-changing move. The Warriors rattled of the best regular-season record in NBA history last season at 73-9, going into the playoffs as the heavy championship favorites.
However, the Warriors were nearly knocked out by Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, when they went down 1-3 in the series. It looked, then, like the Thunder would make it to the Finals, almost assuring Durant would stay in Oklahoma City. However, the Warriors completed a stunning comeback, making it to the Finals, where they lost in seven games to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In order for the Warriors to sign Durant, they will have to clear their team. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green will all remain, but the Warriors will have to clear some combination of contracts, from Andre Iguodala, Andrew Bogut, and Shaun Livingston. Additionally, forward Harrison Barnes, who received a max. contract offer from the Mavericks, will likely be gone, as the Warriors would go over the salary cap to retain him.
It would be possible for the Warriors to retain both Barnes and restricted free agent center Festus Ezeli if they can sign Durant first, then go over the salary cap to retain Barnes and Ezeli. It would require quick work by the Warriors and Durant, however, and patience from Barnes and Ezeli to wait to sign.
It's a stunning move by Durant - heartbreaking for Oklahoma City, but thrilling for the Warriors and the Bay Area. There's no doubt that the quartet for Curry, Thompson, Green, and Durant is terrifying as it is exciting.