Warriors Rumors: Kevin Durant Expected to Sign New Contract Early in Free Agency

Kevin Durant reportedly will opt out of his $26.3 million player option with the Golden State Warriors for the 2018-19 season, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times, but is expected to sign a new deal with the team as an unrestricted free agent:

Durant was always expected go this route after signing a two-year, $51 million deal last summer with a player option for the second year, a contract that was well below market value. Durant will be eligible for a four-year, $158 million max contract this summer, according to Chris Haynes of ESPN.com.

It's more likely, however, that Durant will sign a three-year deal with a player option on the third season, as Tim Kawakami of The Athletic outlined:

Durant, of course, has publicly maintained that he wants to stay in Golden State.

"I'm planning on staying with the Warriors, and we'll figure the rest out," he told ESPN's Rachel Nichols earlier in June.

And outside of an awkward joke from general manager Bob Myers during the Warriors parade following their third championship in four seasons, the feeling has been mutual.

Before the parade, Myers told reporters that Durant could dictate the terms of his return, per the Associated Press (h/t Sports Illustrated):

"Sometimes you don't negotiate. I'd love to have him for 10 years. Kevin Durant, look what he did for us last year, he did us a great service. He's earned the right to sign whatever deal he wants. I just want him to sign a deal. But want him to be happy and want him to know that we want him as long as he wants to be here. He's earned that, to kind of lay out the terms. He can do whatever he wants. That shouldn't be a long negotiation. Our goal, to be honest, is to try to keep the whole thing together, so that's the pieces of the puzzle we've got to try to figure out."

So yes, the return of the two-time defending Finals MVP to Golden State has long felt inevitable. While the Warriors figure out the financial puzzle pieces of keeping Durant, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson together into the future, the rest of the NBA is trying to figure out how to catch up to the Warriors.