2019 NBA Free Agents: Latest Rumors and Predictions for Kevin Durant and More
The NBA playoffs are right around the corner, but the biggest buzz on Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant isn't what he's going to do in the postseason. As a two-time defending champion with the Warriors, we know very well what he's capable of there. No, the chatter on Durant, like it has been for much of the season, is centered around what he will do after the playoffs.
Durant has a player option this summer and all signs point to him forgoing that option and hitting free agency. So where will he go? Well, if the rumors are true, it seems like Durant will be heading to the bright lights of New York City.
According to ESPN's Max Kellerman on Tuesday's episode of First Take, he is "hearing increasingly that Kyrie and KD to New York is a real thing." That statement comes at about the one-minute mark in the video below.
So, yes, rumors are swirling that long-suffering Knicks fans will not only land Durant, but the Boston Celtics' Kyrie Irving as well. It would instantly make the team a contender, and be about the only thing that could act as a salve for the pain of trading Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks earlier this season.
Another rumor that suggests Durant and Irving to the Knicks is a real deal comes from The Athletic's Frank Isola. According to his source, the duo going to New York is no longer if, but when and how:
"So sure are some executives and player agents of a Durant-Irving pairing in New York that one agent told The Athletic that Durant and Irving are debating on who will sign first. Why is that important? The player that is signed second is viewed as the follower, not the leader. It's all rather silly, and Knick fans shouldn't care if Durant and Irving synchronize their signings down to the exact second. But these are the things NBA players think about it."
Tensions between Durant and Warriors teammate Draymond Green have cast a could over the Warriors this season. Despite a roster featuring Durant, Green, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and DeMarcus Cousins, a third straight championship doesn't feel like a foregone conclusion. The Denver Nuggets were challenging for first place in the West up until the last couple of weeks, and the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors are poised to finish with better overall records then the Warriors.
Durant has got what he wanted out of his foray in Golden State, and he may indeed want a new challenge (and contract) this coming season. The Knicks haven't won a title since 1973. Leading them to the promised land, with or without Irving, would immortalize Durant.
Heading to a big city might not be all it's chalked up to be. LeBron James' first season in Los Angeles has been a flop, with the team missing the playoffs and James shut down at the end of March. The difficulty in assembling a super squad from scraps might be specific to the Lakers—look no further than Magic Johnson's shock resignation as team president on Tuesday—and it might be scaring top free agents away from the team.
Here's the Athletic's Bill Oram:
"The Lakers will now turn their attention to an offseason in which they are expected to revisit trade options for Davis, while also chasing top targets in free agency—as unlikely as it is that Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant or Klay Thompson will come, according to a league source who believes the Lakers will be second or third on those players' lists. The fear that the Lakers could strike out with their top targets has already led to some message massaging."
So while Durant to New York is as close to happening as it seems, the Lakers might not be able to convince other top-tier guys to join LeBron. Kawhi Leonard is having plenty of success on a title-contending Toronto Raptors team, and Klay Thompson will have even more room to shoot if Durant leaves Golden State.
The Lakers don't have a team president now, and the future of coach Luke Walton is also in doubt after another losing campaign. The lure of LeBron is there, but the Lakers are going to be hard-pressed to make their pitch this offseason, especially if the top players are satisfied with their postseason success.
