NBA Rumors: Latest on Superstars Kevin Durant and Kevin Love
You were wrong if you thought free-agency rumors would stop at the end of the offseason.
There is still more to talk about. The major rumors floating around these days aren't even about players who still have yet to sign for the current season, like Ray Allen.
Nope. Instead, analysts are already looking ahead to next offseason. And the offseason after that.
A pair of superstars could be changing teams at those times, and there's already plenty of speculation regarding where they might wind up. Continue on to find out more.
Kevin Durant hasn't played a minute this season, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been the talk of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team is attempting to tread water without Durant and fellow star Russell Westbrook. In their desperate attempt to stay afloat, they now have to deal with this latest Durant headline.
Durant is a free agent following the end of next season, but the game's best pure scorer is already making headlines concerning where he'll wind up.
Grantland’s Zach Lowe provided an update on the situation: "Some teams are optimistic it will be open season, and others have heard rumblings that Durant has already made it known it will come down to the Thunder and Wizards."
The Washington Wizards have a young core of John Wall and Bradley Beal to build around, but that's not the only thing potentially appealing to the 26-year-old. The Wizards are his hometown team, which could certainly factor in his decision to leave OKC.
LeBron James famously returned to Cleveland this summer in a move that shook the entire NBA. Durant in particular was impressed with James' decision, via ESPN's Ramona Shelburne:
"I thought it was well-thought-out. It was classy. It was a great move to do it as a letter. That was pretty cool. It's funny seeing guys think about more than just basketball for once. He thought about the city where he comes from, about Northeast Ohio and how he can affect so many of the kids just being there playing basketball. I love that. So many guys get criticized for making the decision that's best for them, instead of what's best for everybody else. He's a guy that did that. You gotta respect that. I applauded him, I texted him and told him congratulations on the decision and told him I was happy for him. As a fan of the game, it's going to be pretty cool to see him back in Cleveland.
"
Will Durant follow in LeBron's footsteps? It's certainly a possibility, especially if he wants to embody the same sentiments he apparently admired above.
Durant has been the NBA's top scorer in four of the past five seasons. Last year was his best yet, as he dropped in 32 points per night to go along with 7.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists.
There will come a time in the next few seasons when Durant surpasses LeBron as the best player in the NBA. That'll make his impending decision even more noteworthy.
Of course, the Thunder are just focused on nursing his right foot and getting him healthy. Currently 2-6, they need to get some big-time firepower back fast. Despite how much they try to tread water, it's evident that they aren't adept swimmers without Durant.
Kevin Love
Kevin Love wanted to go to Cleveland to play with James and potentially win a title or two along the way. Apparently, he's not as happy in Ohio as he thought he'd be.
NBA.com's Sam Smith reported the latest on the power forward's contract status: "But watch out for Love. Indications are he will seriously consider the opt-out and has his eyes on a return to Los Angeles, where he attended college and where the Lakers long have had him on their free-agent wish list."
Needless to say, that would be an enormous blow to the city of Cleveland if Love up and leaves following the season. The Cavs traded a small ransom to bring him in, and if this season doesn't result in a championship before his departure, there will be a few million people severely unhappy.
Love has had an intriguing season through six games entering Wednesday. He's scoring 18.7 points and pulling down 10.2 boards per night (pretty much on par with his career marks in those categories), but he's shooting just 39.3 percent from the floor.
It's clear that he's struggling to find his role in an offense dominated by guys who love to shoot—James, Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters—so it might take some time before he warms up to playing with the Cavs.
His three-point shooting has been an asset for this team, though, so he'll continue to get plenty of looks beyond the arc.
The Lakers are in a downward spiral this season. It's a shame to see them struggle at the tail end of Kobe Bryant's career, but adding Love into the equation for next year would give the Black Mamba one last shot at winning a championship.
This is certainly something to monitor as the season progresses. Love's ability to mesh with the other stars in Cleveland will dictate where he plays in the future.
Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn
