Last summer, Kevin Durant accepted a deal well below his market value. The Finals MVP did it to help Golden State. Because he turned down more money, the Warriors were able to retain core veterans Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston.
Durant, however, will reportedly opt out of that deal this offseason and restructure his deal with Golden State, according to ESPN’s Chris Haynes.
“A nine-time All-Star and the reigning NBA Finals MVP, Durant will be turning down a salary of $26.2 million, a figure well below that for a player of his caliber, in order to restructure a new deal with the Warriors, sources said,” Haynes reports. “It has yet to be decided what contractual route Durant will take, sources say, but there are no real incentives — for himself or for the team — to take such a drastic reduction in pay this time around.”
Golden State forward Kevin Durant plans to decline player option and become unrestricted free-agent to restructure contract, league sources tell ESPN. Story w/ @BobbyMarks42 breaking down the options. https://t.co/jsKx2OVs16
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) April 11, 2018
His New Deal
As Haynes noted, the Warriors are no longer cap-tied this summer, so the former Texas Longhorn is not harming Golden State by asking for what he is really worth. Durant could earn $35 million next season. Each year of his deal could escalate.
If Durant wants a long-term deal, he could look at a four-year, $158 million contract, speculates NBC’s ProBasketballTalk. If he wants to leave his options open, giving himself the opportunity to become a free agent again in the near future, he may opt for a two- or three-year deal. Or perhaps he’ll opt for something in between — a longer deal with player options earlier in the contract.
Durant, 29, is averaging 26.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game. He has morphed into Golden State’s best rim protector and is adding 1.8 blocks per game. Durant is playing perhaps the best defense of his career.
Golden State will enter the NBA Playoffs, which commence Saturday, as the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed. The Warriors’ opponent has not yet been determined.
