Kevin Durant has seen enough.
Unlike three years ago when the former Thunder superstar was wooed in the Hamptons by the Warriors’ championship core, and Tom Brady, among others, Durant is expected to take a vastly different approach to his second run at free agency, and not attend any formal pitch meetings, according to ESPN.
The injured, and still in-demand former MVP, declined his $31.5 million player option with Golden State to become an unrestricted free agent, and is believed to be considering leaving the Warriors for the Knicks, Nets or Clippers. If Durant — who is expected to miss all of next season with a ruptured Achilles, and may not play again until he turns 32 — stays with Golden State, he would make $221.3 million on a five-year contract. If he leaves, the max deal would pay $164 million over four years. Durant is currently in New York, reportedly evaluating his options with business manager Rich Kleiman.
In 2010, the Knicks and Nets both made formal pitches to LeBron James, and watched him go to Miami.
“I think Kevin will take phone calls from different people, he’ll sit with Rich Kleiman, they’ll talk about strategies, but there will not be formal pitch meetings,” former NBA guard Jay Williams said on ESPN’s “Get Up.” “I think Kevin [knows where he wants to go] to a certain degree….but the one thing we’ve seen is that this landscape can change very quickly, as soon as moving parts start to happen.”
While the Warriors are expected to retain fellow injured free agent Klay Thompson, ESPN reports that the team is in “scramble mode” with Durant. If they cannot re-sign him they at least hope to recoup some assets for the two-time NBA Finals MVP, via a sign-and-trade. With an uncertain rehab approaching, Durant has extra incentive to secure an extra $57 million guaranteed, and direct a trade to his desired destination, though the Knicks, Nets or Clippers may not be willing to part with anything of value.


