The New York Knicks will be heading into next week's free agency with enough money to sign two top-tier free agents to max contracts. One of the players who's been reportedly interested in joining the franchise is two-time Finals MVP, Kevin Durant. However, he suffered an Achilles injury in the recently concluded NBA Finals and is expected to miss the entirety of next season.

Despite his setback, Durant is still going to command a max contract this summer, but according to Stephen A. Smith, the Knicks are somehow reluctant to offer him that much money, especially since he's coming off a serious injury. Team owner James Dolan also wants to see KD's medical report before giving him the max deal.

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The Knicks are taking extra precaution with regards to KD, especially since history suggests that superstars who suffered Achilles injuries in the past haven't been the same when they returned. The most recent examples are Kobe Bryant back in 2013 and DeMarcus Cousins in 2017.

However, any hesitation from the Knicks at this point could cause them to lose in the KD sweepstakes, especially if the Warriors offer him the five-year super max deal. With Kyrie Irving reportedly favoring the Brooklyn Nets over them, New York will have little to no option but offer Durant every single penny that they can offer.

The Knicks' plan to build a superteam might collapse before their very eyes with one wrong decision next week. It is understandable that they are being careful with regards to KD, but at this point, are they really willing to risk it all on him?