Joe Lacob Knows Warriors Will Have to Re-Recruit His 'Hero' Kevin Durant

Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob spoke to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic on his podcast, The TK Show, about the future of superstar Kevin Durant and how the team will need to recruit him all over again once Durant hits free agency. 

"He deserves to be able to go and be happy wherever he wants to be," Lacob said (h/t Drew Shiller of NBC Sports for the transcription). "I hope it's here. And I hope he feels the same that way I do, and we do, about him when it comes time next summer. But you never can predict these things.

"We just will do our job and he'll do his job, and we'll see what happens next summer. And let the chips fall where they may."

Lacob also called Durant his hero.

"KD's been great. He's my hero, man," he said. "He has been a really good partner for us. He's taken a little bit of a discount the last few years to allow us to do a few extra things. And I'm never gonna forget that."

This offseason, Durant signed a two-year, $61.5 million contract with Golden State, though he has a player option for the 2019-20 season, all but guaranteeing he'll once again hit free agency next summer. However, he'll be eligible to sign a five-year, $221 million maximum contract to remain with the Warriors.

Durant has twice taken slightly less money to play for Golden State. As Shiller noted, he could have signed a deal that would have paid him around $34.7 million per year in 2017-18, but instead took $25 million, leaving Golden State financial flexibility.

And this summer, he could have signed a max deal that would have put him at $35.6 million per year, but instead took $30 million, though that allowed him the flexibility to both become a free agent next summer and guaranteed he could sign a supermax deal with the Warriors if he chooses to go that route.  

Durant, 29, has been nothing short of superb in Golden State, leading the team alongside Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson to two straight NBA titles. He's averaged 25.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.7 blocks per game in those two seasons, earning consecutive NBA Finals MVP awards in the process. 

So yes, the Warriors will have to pull out all the stops in their recruiting pitch to Durant next summer, as plenty of teams with cap space will come calling.