Kevin Durant Comments on Russell Westbrook, Free Agency
Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant said during the team's exit interviews Wednesday that he plans to seek outside input regarding his free agency, including an expected chat with teammate Russell Westbrook, but in the end he understands it's a "selfish" situation.
Dan Feldman of Pro Basketball Talk passed along highlights from Durant's season-ending remarks, which the Oklahoman streamed on YouTube. He revealed that talking to members of the Thunder about his decision could be a bit awkward:
"It's kind of hard to talk to one of my teammates. Obviously, we've been through a lot. We know each other very, very well. But it's one of these things where I just, I've just got to hear from me and hear what I want and talk to myself on what I need and how I can make this thing work for myself and just try to be selfish a bit.
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The focus for the 27-year-old Washington, D.C., native has shifted toward the summer after the reigning champion Golden State Warriors eliminated Oklahoma City in the Western Conference Finals on Monday night. He'll likely be the most coveted commodity in free agency.
Durant noted he plans to sit down with Westbrook, his running mate in OKC for the past eight seasons, at some point to talk things over. He said the point guard has been respectful of the process for the entire campaign.
"But he's put no pressure on me," Durant said. "He's been just great in this whole thing and just being my friend, and I think that's one thing I needed throughout the whole year, throughout this whole process, is just people to be my friend and worry about me as a person."
When asked about what he's seeking in free agency, he added: "Just being around great people, being in a great basketball environment—that's the two most important things for me."
The then-Seattle SuperSonics selected Durant with the second overall pick in the 2007 draft out of Texas. Although he's never been able to bring a title to Oklahoma City, he's earned numerous accolades, including the MVP Award for the 2013-14 season and seven All-Star appearances.
In turn, it's no surprise that teams are lining up to take a run at him. Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported the Warriors, Washington Wizards, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs will all battle the Thunder for his signature.
The situation will likely feel similar to the college recruiting process for Durant. He was the No. 2 prospect in the 2006 class coming out of the Montrose Christian School in Maryland when he chose the Longhorns over a group of interested programs that also included Kentucky and North Carolina, per 247Sports.
Of course, that was merely a one-year commitment before heading to the NBA. Now he's looking at a massive long-term contract, as he'll attempt to secure the missing piece in an otherwise stacked resume: the NBA title. It's a scenario where being selfish is the smart approach.
