While rumors of Kevin Durant‘s possible departure continue to persist, the Warriors have recently expressed some private optimism about their chances of re-signing the former MVP, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. As Amick explains, that hope stems from the fact that Golden State is the only team with the ability to make Durant a five-year, $221MM offer. That extra year and money could be a more significant factor with KD recovering from an Achilles tear.
Earlier this week, Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers indicated that the team has formal plans to talk to both Durant and Klay Thompson about new deals, as Nick Friedell of ESPN.com relays (via Twitter). Myers also said that Thompson is expected to undergo his ACL surgery later this week.
Here’s more from around the NBA on free agency:
- Ish Smith is among the free agent point guards who are on the Timberwolves‘ radar, tweets Darren Wolfson of SKOR North. Wolfson previously identified T.J. McConnell as a target of interest to Minnesota.
- Cheick Diallo, who shares an agent with Mavericks star Luka Doncic and Mavs free agent target Patrick Beverley, is a potential fit for Dallas, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Diallo reportedly won’t receive a qualifying offer from New Orleans, so he’ll become an unrestricted free agent.
- Speaking of the Mavericks, team owner Mark Cuban downplayed the importance of face-to-face meetings for free agents, as Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News writes. “There’s some players that want a presentation and they want the dog-and-pony show,” Cuban said. “And there’s some players, they don’t care. They have a feel and they just want to ask some questions and you don’t really have to have a meeting to do that. … It really depends on the players. I can give you a long list of players we didn’t have meetings with that we signed, and a lot of teams that didn’t have meetings and they signed people. There’s not a lot of secrets. It’s not like all of a sudden you’re going to say something they didn’t know.”
- Although Willie Cauley-Stein‘s agent doesn’t want the Kings to give his client a qualifying offer, it wouldn’t make sense for the club to forgo that QO, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.
I’m wondering if it has dawned on Golden State if they are able to sign Durrant and Thompson to max deals their big three alone would have them over the salary cap.
I’m sure it has lol. They’re not the Lakers.
Because the Lakers plan of depth worked so well last year. Before it was AD it was “No one wants to be a Laker”. Now its “The Lakers are dumb for star hunting and sacrificing depth”
Why did they miss the playoffs last year? Lack of depth and shooting. If they get some discounted players and lots of shooting I’m sure they will be fine.
That dude just says stuff. Lakers “depth” was horrific outside of Beasley and Kuzma, esp once they traded away Zubac.
Says stuff, nah more like you cant form an argument. Rondo was a solid depth piece on a team that made the 2nd round the year before. McGee was a solid backup big on back to back title teams. KCP would be a solid backup SG on most teams. The Lakers absolutely had depth. Depth doesn’t mean a thing when every starter got hurt at some point. Depth is to help you survive a few injuries but your whole lineup, not a chance. The idea say 3 depth players is better than adding Kawhi is just comical.
the owner already said money is no problem. they are moving into a new billion dollar stadium next year.
They don’t care. They want to keep their core players locked up for the foreseeable future. Plus with all the extra money their making off merchandising, its a no brainer.
I’m pretty sure they know. They own the team.
I wonder if it’s dawned on you they paid 450 million for the team and now it’s worth 2.5 billion. They’re 2 billion dollars in the black without doing anything.
Plus they move across the bay and that’s even more money going in their pockets.
They’re not worried about a hundred million dollar tax bill. That’s probably covered by ten years of advertising with that little circle on their uni.
No reason to not to give Cayley Stein a qualifying offer
There is no obvious landing spot for Durant at this point. So, the home team has to be considered in it.
Nevertheless, I don’t think he goes back. If he does, it won’t be because of the 5th year, at least not primarily. The actual value of that is small (much less than he’s given back to the Warriors in the last 3 contracts) and microscopic compared to his net worth. If it’s important to him, he can certainly get that from his next team if he wants to be creative. But I doubt he does that either. He’ll sign with the team he wants to spend the rest of his career with.
You’d think the twolves would be interested in all the free point guards! After all they’re free right
I honestly am starting to think he’ll just sign with Golden State for the fifth year and they’ll let him decide if he wants them to send him wherever next summer so he’ll have another year to decide.
One, he already opted out, so he’s a free agent free and clear. Two, he’s probably not going to play at all next year so why would anybody sign him one year just to potentially lose him again next year?
What was that? Both Kyrie and Durant want to play for the Wolves?