The smart money has Kevin Durant returning to OKC to see if he can get it done the way it looked like he might when the Thunder ripped the Spurs apart in May. That smart money doesn’t have KD doing it out of sheer loyalty — it’s just that going back he earns a whole lot of good will, $26.6 million, and the opportunity to opt out next year — when the $153 million over 5 years he could sign for now will look paltry. (The salary cap balloons and Durant’s share of it inflates accordingly.)
Yet there’s still a chance that Durant figures a ring is worth more than all that gold — and that his best bet is to jump now while he’s still among the greatest players in the land. A lot of early speculation had the Washington Wizards pulling off some Harry Potter-like magic to win KD, but they’ve fallen from the running. These seven teams appear to be left with a chance, including OKC itself.
- OKC Thunder
- New York Knicks (did Rose acquisition help?)
- San Antonio Spurs (immediate Western favorite then)
- Miami Heat (is Bosh healthy enough to contribute to a run?)
- Golden State Warriors (Steve Kerr can’t he that lucky)
- LA Clippers (will they hold him hostage?)
- Boston Celtics (Eastern Conference appeal– as a SuperSonic Durant looked good in green.)
