The two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors took on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden Friday night, and superstar small forward Kevin Durant got plenty of cheers from the home crowd when he was introduced in the starting lineup.

Durant can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019 if he declines his 2019-20 player option with the Warriors. So, in typical New York fashion, Knicks fans figured it couldn't hurt to cheer for Durant to maybe entice him to come to The Big Apple next offseason.

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Los Angeles Lakers fans did this last year with LeBron James and Paul George. It reeks of desperation, but then again, the Knicks are very desperate to land a superstar to pair alongside Kristaps Porzingis, who is still recovering from his ACL surgery.

The city of New York put up a massive billboard in downtown with a picture of Kevin Durant standing next to Porzingis. Durant said stuff like that doesn't really impress him, though. This is a guy who wants to win basketball games and championships, not headline tabloids and Broadway street.

Some people in the league believe Kevin Durant might leave the Warriors if he wins his third-straight championship this season to embark on a new challenge. The two-time Finals MVP has been linked to the Knicks in the past, but it really doesn't make sense for him to go to New York unless he can get another superstar to come with him.

Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, and Klay Thompson will all be free agents next summer as well.