Kevin Durant Will Sign With Golden State Warriors
The biggest name in NBA free agency will sign with the team that set a record for regular season victories and came within a game of winning its second straight NBA title. Kevin Durant, who averaged 28.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game last season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, announced on the sports web publication The Players Tribune that he is leaving OKC to join the Golden State Warriors. The actual contract signing can’t be done until July 7th, per NBA rules, but it’s essentially a done deal. According to ESPN, the Warriors will trade or not resign some players to clear up some salary cap space, with Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut being mentioned prominently.
This is huge for the Warriors, even eclipsing the Miami Heat’s signing of LeBron James and Chris Bosh in 2010. The Heat went on to four straight appearances in the NBA Finals, winning two championships, but the 2009-10 team prior to the signings was 47-35, and a loser in the first round of the playoffs. The Warriors, on the other hand, set an NBA regular season record of 73-9. How much better can they get? 75-7? 80-2? Probably the only thing keeping the Warriors from winning the NBA championship next year will be if the chemistry between Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green isn’t right. There’s not much chance of that.
Meanwhile, the Thunder, who were on the edge of greatness, reaching the Western Conference finals the last two years, will have figure out Plan B. Speculation is that they’ll try to extend Russell Westbrook’s contract before he becomes a free agent after next season. Or if that effort fails, they may look to trade him. If both Durant and Westbrook are gone, a major rebuild will be in order.
Here’s a Kevin Durant highlight reel:
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The chemistry issue is huge. I can think of only two times a major player went to a contender and it worked out: Wilt to the Lakers in 68 and Shaq in 96. In both of those examples, it took 4 years to win a championship and both took a major coaching change: Sharman changed Wilt’s approach and the Zen master smoothed and soothed Kobe and Shaq. I think Kerr is a good coach, but I think he is over his head. I believe the Warriors at odds-on (or even) are a horrible wager.
Not surprised. Most good players want a championship ring. A big plus for the Warriors.