After reportedly readying to offer All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson a five-year, $190 maximum contract, the Golden State Warriors have now set their eyes set on offering two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant a max deal too.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst confirmed the development of SportsCenter ( via Forbes’ Tommy Beer), noting that it is one of the Warriors’ priorities once free agency starts.
Per @WindhorstESPN on SportsCenter just now:
“Kevin Durant, from what I am told, will receive a five year [supermax] offer from the Warriors this weekend.”That’s $221 million over five years.
Or $57 million more in guaranteed money than either the Nets or Knicks can offer.
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) June 28, 2019
Free agency opens on June 30 and Durant could be the defining player this offseason. Durant injured his calf in the second round of the playoffs, and following his bated return, ruptured his Achilles tendon in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Thompson would tear his ACL in the next and deciding game of the Finals.
The Warriors offering multiple max deals to two injured stars is, at first glance, a puzzling move. Golden State, moving arenas from Oakland to San Francisco this coming season, would undoubtedly be without Thompson and Durant into 2020. Hence, more than half of the team’s cap space would be used up on unplayable athletes.
On the other hand it does, it does give the Warriors an unmistakable advantage in unrestricted free agency in courting Durant back to the Bay. A max contract for the former league MVP would be worth $221 million over five years — at least $50 million more than the money other suitors can pitch to Durant.
KD has been heavily wooed by the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers.
Approaching the end of the 2018-19 campaign, many around the league expected Durant to ditch the Warriors for New York. However, Durant’s untimely injury may have buoyed Knicks’ fans hopes and dreams, and he could take the easy and profitable money motive of staying with Golden State and rehabilitating next season on the sidelines.
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