Golden State Warriors star forward Kevin Durant will have plenty of options in the upcoming 2019 free-agency period even after his injury, but exercising his 2019-20 player option with the Warriors is a “last resort,” according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Woj made a small cameo on ESPN's “Get Up!” Wednesday morning, telling host Mike Greenberg that taking the $31.5 million player option would be to fire the last bullet left in the chamber:

“I think opting in is the last resort — $31.5 million for next season. That's really if you couldn't find any other team to commit to you on a contract,” said Wojnarowski. “Even if he opts out of the contract and even if he did a short deal with another team, a two-year deal. That starts at $38 million. I still think there's going be a market for Kevin Durant to get a long term, whether it's max or near-max contract.

“He'll be 32 before he plays again, if indeed he misses all of next season, but that $31.5 million opt-in really is if there's nothing else out there after canvasing the league or if the Warriors decided that they didn't wanna do that. I'd be shocked if the Warriors were not willing to still go long term with Kevin Durant on a deal. But essentially, he'd be a $38 million redshirt player for whoever he signs with next year, or if he opts in in Golden State.”

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Durant told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports earlier this season that he planned to get the most money possible in his next deal. The Warriors can offer that, but they would have to be willing to submerge themselves in luxury tax money to do so, while also taking the risk of potentially losing him for an entire year.

Other teams like the LA Clippers, New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets are reportedly unafraid to give him a max contract, even with his recent Achilles injury, making for some real stiff competition ahead this summer.