Kevin Durant Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Latest On Kevin Durant

June 30th, 2019 at 7:31pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Knicks were not prepared to present Kevin Durant will a full-max contract offer, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com hears (Twitter link). Owner Jim Dolan had concerns about Durant’s Achilles injury.

New York now has Julius Randle locked in on a three-year deal. The Knicks were long rumored to be the favorite for Durant’s services, though rumblings began to surface during the postseason that the Nets were contenders. Durant will take his talents to the other side of the Williamsburg Bridge.

[RELATED: Kevin Durant To Sign With Nets]

Durant and his business manager Rich Kleiman met with the Warriors GM Bob Myers today and delivered his decision to leave Golden State, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com relays via Twitter. The remainder of the contenders were informed later on in the day and Woj adds that the teams feel Durant handled the process well.

Durant’s deal with the Nets could end up being a sign-and-trade, Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link).

There’s no word on whether the Warriors would want a player back or simply to open up a $30MM trade exception (as CBA rules state the amount would be his previous salary). Golden State could then absorb a player in a trade without having to worry about matching salary. Such an arrangement would likely involve the Warriors including an asset, as the Nets could easily carve out the required cap room to sign Durant outright.

Free Agent Notes: Harris, Leonard, Portis

June 30th, 2019 at 5:10pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Tobias Harris is meeting with the Sixers to begin free agency, The Athletic’s David Aldridge tweets. Harris is seeking a full, five-year max deal.

Jimmy Butler is in Miami to begin his free agency tour and is expected to tell the Heat that he wants to sign with them. The Sixers will likely get a chance to speak with Butler before he signs elsewhere, as Miami doesn’t have the cap space necessary to offer Butler a max contract.

Here’s more from the start of free agency:

Magic Johnson said he has spoken to Kawhi Leonard and Dennis Robertson (Leonard’s uncle) after Leonard’s camp contacted him, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times relays (Twitter link). No meeting between the parties has been set up yet.
Bobby Portis and Jabari Parker are both operating as if they will not be back with the Wizards, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports reports on Twitter. Both players were brought to Washington in the mid-season deal that sent Otto Porter Jr. to Chicago.
Julius Randle is on the Knicks‘ radar, a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link). New York missed out on Kevin Durant, watching him sign with the Nets.
The Knicks are meeting with Reggie Bullock tonight, Aldridge tweets. Bullock is ready to commit to a “strong offer,” Aldridge adds. The Lakers would like to keep him, though New York will be among the teams which will have a chance to steal him away from Los Angeles.

Kevin Durant To Sign With Nets

June 30th, 2019 at 5:08pm CST by Luke Adams

5:08pm: Durant has made it official by announcing via Instagram that he’ll sign with the Nets.

3:55pm: Free agent forward Kevin Durant plans to sign with the Nets, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Durant will make a formal announcement via Instagram once free agency officially opens at 6:00pm eastern time, tweets Wojnarowski.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter), Durant will sign a four-year, maximum-salary contract with Brooklyn. The deal will be worth $164,255,700.

[UPDATE: Durant will accept less than the max to accommodate a $40MM deal for DeAndre Jordan]

[UPDATE: Durant expected to be acquired via sign-and-trade involving D’Angelo Russell]

It’s a fascinating decision by Durant, who was long believed by league insiders to be eyeing a move to the Knicks if he opted not to return to the Warriors. However, as it became increasingly clear that KD’s good friend Kyrie Irving would sign with Brooklyn, there was increased speculation that the Nets could be in play for Durant too. He and Irving had reportedly discussed the idea of playing together, and now they’ll get that chance.

Of course, while the two stars will share a locker room in Brooklyn, they’ll have to wait a little longer to actually take the court together. Durant is expected to miss the full 2019/20 season as he recovers from the torn Achilles he suffered during Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Additionally, the Nets will have to make at least one more roster move before they can technically sign both Irving and Durant. Because KD’s maximum salary is higher than Kyrie’s, Brooklyn is still about $1.2MM short of that second max slot, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

In addition to adding Durant and Irving, the Nets have reportedly lined up deals with DeAndre Jordan and Garrett Temple. They’ll join a core that features Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Joe Harris, and Spencer Dinwiddie. All-Star point guard D’Angelo Russell will be headed elsewhere with Irving arriving in Brooklyn.

As for the Warriors, losing Durant means they’re no longer facing a record-setting luxury tax bill, but they figure to be aggressive in seeking ways to upgrade their roster with their two-time Finals MVP no longer in the mix.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Kevin Durant To Nets A Done Deal?

June 30th, 2019 at 3:43pm CST by clarkcrum

Marc Stein of The New York Times is reporting that the Nets are emanating an “undeniable vibe of confidence” that Kevin Durant will join his friend Kyrie Irving and announce tonight that he plans to sign with the Nets.

Brian Lewis of the New York Post adds that there are individuals within the Brooklyn organization – both players and front office employees – that are “quietly confident” that Durant will choose Brooklyn over the Warriors, Knicks, and Clippers.

Finally, Chris Broussard of Fox Sports hears that a team who was in the hunt to sign Durant now thinks that Durant is heading to Brooklyn as well.

As we noted earlier, we won’t have to wait much longer to find out if Brooklyn’s confidence is well-placed, as Durant will announce his decision online when free agency opens this evening.

Knicks Notes: Durant, Leonard, Rozier, Ntilikina

June 30th, 2019 at 2:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks’ hopes of adding two stars in free agency now rely on the reported desire of Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard to team up, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. New York is among the teams with enough cap space to sign both stars, and ESPN reported yesterday that the Knicks and Clippers are the most likely destinations if they do join forces.

Two other potential Knicks targets came off the board Saturday as Kyrie Irving reached an agreement with the Nets and Kemba Walker committed to the Celtics. A source tells Berman that Walker’s family, particularly his mother, wasn’t interested in moving to New York.

That’s not true for Durant, who likes the idea of living in the nation’s largest city, Berman adds. He had his surgery performed in New York and has several ties to the franchise, serving as a mentor to Allonzo Trier and being friends with free agent center DeAndre Jordan and assistant coach Royal Ivey. The Knicks were considered favorites to sign Durant before his Achilles injury in the NBA Finals and are still strongly in the race, according to Berman. However, the additional year and the extra $57MM that the Warriors can offer could still tip the scale in their favor.

There’s more out of New York:

If the Knicks can’t land one of the elite free agents, their next targets will be point guard Terry Rozier and power forwards Julius Randle and Bobby Portis, Berman relays in the same story. They also have what Berman calls “mild” interest in a one-year deal with DeMarcus Cousins.
Durant isn’t leaning toward any team as free agency begins, his agent, Rich Kleiman, told Steve Serby of The New York Post. “While I’m doing this interview, Kevin is completely undecided in figuring out what he wants to do,” Kleiman said.
Whether the Knicks keep Frank Ntilikina or not, he won’t be part of their Summer League team, tweets Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. The second-year guard, who has been on the trading block, will compete in the FIBA World Cup later this summer with the French team.

Durant To Make Decision Via Instagram

June 30th, 2019 at 2:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

JUNE 30, 2:37pm: Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (link), Durant will announce his free agent decision tonight on Instagram, via his “The Boardroom” platform.

JUNE 28, 8:50pm: Kevin Durant is planning to speak with the Nets, Clippers and Knicks as well as the Warriors when free agency begins on Sunday night, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

Durant probably won’t make a quick commitment. His decision-making process is expected to extend well into next week, according to Wojnarowski.

There are no surprises on Durant’s list. Both New York teams have been clearing cap space for years in order to pursue high-level free agents. The Clippers have taken the same approach the past two seasons, though they’ve been more often linked to Kawhi Leonard.

The process could be somewhat more informal than the last time Durant shopped himself in free agency during the summer of 2016. Durant is in New York after undergoing surgery on his torn Achilles tendon and plans to talk to teams there, Wojnarowski continues. He’ll conduct some combination of face-to-face meetings and other forms of communication with assistance from business manager Rich Kleiman.

Durant formally declined his $31.5M player option this week to become an unrestricted free agent. The Warriors are planning to offer him a five-year, $221MM max contract, while other teams can offer a four-year, $164MM deal.

Durant is expected to miss all of next season as he recovers from the injury suffered during the Finals.

Steph Curry To Attend Warriors’ Meeting With Kevin Durant

June 29th, 2019 at 3:28pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Stephen Curry will attend the Warriors‘ meeting with Kevin Durant, Marcus Thompson of The Athletic hears. GM Bob Myers will sit down with Durant in New York and attempt to convince the former MVP to stay with the team.

Curry had been on an Under Armour tour in Asia but he is now on his way to the United States. Curry is expected to speak with Durant prior to the official meeting.

The point guard was at the team’s meeting with Durant three years ago when they successfully pitched the Maryland-native to come to Golden State. Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were also there in 2016, but neither will be present in person this time around. Thompson is preparing to undergo surgery on his own ACL (not to mention his own free agency) but he will join the pitch via FaceTime, Thompson tweets. Green has already visited Durant in NYC this summer.

Durant’s decision in 2016 hinged on Curry wanting him there. The former no. 8 overall pick assured Durant that he did and envisioned the two winning multiple championships together. The Warriors won two titles with the pairing and came close to a third, losing in this year’s NBA Finals to the Raptors.

Durant plans to speak with the Clippers, Nets, and Knicks in addition to the Warriors. It’s unlikely Durant makes a quick decision.

Durant, Kawhi Reportedly Discussing Playing Together

June 29th, 2019 at 10:45am CST by marksuleymanov

With free agency set to open on Sunday, the top two available players, Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant, have discussed scenarios in which they could play together, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne.

As Wojnarowski notes, if the two stars decide they want to team up, the two likeliest possibilities would be the Knicks or Clippers. The Knicks have the cap room necessary to offer both players maximum-salary contracts. The Clippers would have to do a little work to get there, but have a path if they can find a taker for Danilo Gallinari‘s expiring $22.6MM contract.

The Nets, Lakers, Warriors, and Raptors are among the other teams believed to be in pursuit of either Leonard or Durant. However, Golden State and Toronto could only re-sign their own respective stars, the Lakers only have room to sign one top free agent, and the Nets are believed to be zeroed in on Kyrie Irving, which would leave them with enough cap space for just one additional star.

Before Durant went down with a calf injury – and then an Achilles tear – in this year’s playoffs, he and Leonard were being discussed as the NBA’s top two players. Although KD is expected to miss the entire 2019/20 season as he recovers from his Achilles injury, a long-term pairing of Durant and Leonard could turn any franchise into a perennial championship contender.

ESPN’s report represents the second time today we’ve heard about the possibility of Durant and Leonard teaming up. Shams Charania of The Athletic wrote earlier this morning of a belief that KD had considered the possibility of joining forces with Kawhi, though Charania’s report gave no indication of how Leonard felt about the idea.

As we detailed this morning, Leonard’s free agency had long been viewed as a two-way race between the Raptors and Clippers, but that’s no longer the case, with the Lakers and Knicks both trying to get into the mix. Sam Amick of The Athletic wrote today about the pitch that LeBron James intends to make to Kawhi.

Many scenarios appear to remain in play for this summer’s top free agents. According to Wojnarowski and Shelburne, Leonard is expected to meet with the Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, and Raptors once free agency opens, while Durant plans to talk to the Clippers, Knicks, Nets, and Warriors.

Luke Adams contributed to this story.

Charania’s Latest: Nets, D-Lo, Durant, Livingston, More

June 29th, 2019 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

Kyrie Irving remains “fully focused” on a potential deal with the Nets, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who says Brooklyn’s goal is to sign the trio of Irving, Kevin Durant, and DeAndre Jordan. If they can get Irving but Durant heads elsewhere, the Nets could shift their focus to players like Tobias Harris or Julius Randle, Charania writes.

As for D’Angelo Russell, league sources tell Charania that the expectation is the Nets will either renounce D-Lo’s rights or try to complete a sign-and-trade deal that sends him elsewhere. A sign-and-trade would be complicated, since Brooklyn may prefer to use its cap room on free agents rather than trade pieces in return for Russell.

Here’s more from Charania:

Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers is tentatively scheduled to travel to New York this weekend to meet with Kevin Durant and his inner circle, league sources tell Charania. Durant is also expected to talk to the Knicks, Nets, and Clippers, though no formal meetings have been set, says Charania, who adds that there’s a belief that KD has considered the possibility of teaming up with Kawhi Leonard.
Shaun Livingston, who originally had a guarantee date of June 30 on his contract, has agreed to push that date back to July 10, reports Charania. Livingston has a partial guarantee of $2MM on his $7.7MM salary, and the Warriors now have more time to decide whether to retain him at that price.
With Kemba Walker appearing likely to sign elsewhere, the Hornets are focusing on other point guards like Terry Rozier, sources tell Charania. It’s not clear if Charlotte believes the mid-level would be enough to land Rozier, or if the team would attempt a sign-and-trade.
The Sixers remain “fully focused” on trying to re-sign Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris, according to Charania, who notes that rival teams interested in Butler believe the fifth year Philadelphia can offer will be a major factor for the swingman and agent Bernie Lee. If the 76ers don’t offer that fifth year, it’s possible the market for Butler will open up.
The Knicks have targeted free agent center Robin Lopez as a potential backup for Mitchell Robinson, league sources tell Charania.
The Celtics intend to pursue a big man using their $4.8MM room exception, with Enes Kanter and Kevon Looney among their targets, per Charania.

Kawhi’s Free Agency No Longer Viewed As Two-Team Race

June 29th, 2019 at 8:23am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers are emerging as a legit contender in the Kawhi Leonard sweepstakes, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times, who tweets that an increasing number of league insiders – as well as oddsmakers in Las Vegas – view the Lakers as a “significant” threat to sign the NBA Finals MVP.

As we relayed on Friday, Leonard’s camp is lining up at least one meeting with the Lakers. That may end up turning into more than one meeting due to the fact that former president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and still-technically-a-Pelican Anthony Davis aren’t permitted to represent the Lakers on a formal basis in a free agent pitch.

Leonard’s free agency has long been viewed by insiders and experts as a two-team race. The Raptors, having just won a title with Leonard leading the way, are still considered a strong contender for the two-time Defensive Player of the Year and are expected to get the final meeting with him next week.

Meanwhile, the Clippers – who will also meet with Kawhi next week – have been regarded all season long as Los Angeles’ biggest threat to recruit Leonard back to his hometown. However, now that the Lakers have created nearly enough space for a maximum-salary offer for Leonard, Stein suggests that the Clippers will have to beat out not just the defending champions but also their cross-town L.A. rivals. According to Stein, the Clippers’ best route to winning over Leonard might be convincing Kevin Durant to choose the Clips as well.

[UPDATE: Durant, Leonard have reportedly discussed playing together]

We still don’t know exactly what Leonard’s thinking, and it’s probably premature to classify the Lakers as the frontrunner to sign him, but it certainly seems as if there are at least three viable landing spots for the star forward, rather than just the two that have been mentioned for much of the season.