In an expected move by the Golden State Warriors, Kevin Durant has declined his $27.7 million option for next season, making him an unrestricted free agent starting on July 1st. This has long been anticipated from him, as it's his way of doing his part to make sure the team can keep its championship winning core.
This year's Finals MVP is slated to have a 20 percent increase in his salary, but will most likely wait to see how the contract negotiations will turn out for his teammates, like Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston before inking on a new deal. Durant may take a slight pay cut depending on the size of the deals that will be extended to the three, but he's already made it known that he's willing to make some sacrifices for the Dubs.
Draymond Green recently spoke about the Durant's act and talked about how important it is for their team. He also added, via Jane McCauley of the Associated Press, that it shows the commitment he has to them, and to winning.
“It means a lot. It just shows the commitment when a guy’s willing to take less, the commitment to the team. You look at the situation, sometimes you have to do that in order to make things work. I took less so we could go and get Kevin. And it worked out. If you want to keep great teams, keep everything aligned, sometimes you have to do that. You have to be willing to sacrifice.”
Head coach Steve Kerr echoed the recently awarded Defensive Player of the Year's statement, and said that Durant's humility will be key to sustaining their current run of success.
“It’s amazing to have that kind of talent and humility and the team-oriented demeanor that both guys have. The fact that both those guys are so willing to think about and not only with points and shots and everything else but they want to do what’s best for the team all the time, every single day. So it’s a powerful force when you have that kind of talent and humility, and it sets a great tone for us.”tale
Durant is expected to sign his new contract by the end of July, should contract talks for Curry and company go on as scheduled. With all the wheeling and dealing other teams are doing to chase the Warriors, they will still be the team to beat should they retain their core. Although it's not an easy task to fit all their stars' salaries in their books, Durant has somehow lessened its difficulty with his sacrifice, but could pay huge dividends for him and the team if they'll win more championships in the coming seasons.
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