Wizards prepared to make a pitch for Kevin Durant in in 2016
The Washington Wizards will try to sign Kevin Durant in 2016 summer when the Thunder superstar will be free agent
The Washington Wizards will try to sign Kevin Durant in 2016 summer when the Thunder superstar will be free agent.
Per NBA, Washington is prepared to make a pitch. The Wizards have an outstanding young backcourt in All-Star John Wall and Bradley Beal, and a solid big man inMarcin Gortat, all under contract for 2016, as well as Kris Humphries and Otto Porter Jr. They will shed roughly $18 million in cap space in 2016 when Nene and Paul Pierce come off the books, and could find another $7.8 million by not picking up their options on Martell Webster and DeJuan Blair.
But Oklahoma City shouldn't be quaking in its boots just yet. The Thunder have any number of factors on its side of the ledger: familiarity, loyalty, Russell Westbrook, Durant's restaurant (KD's, and it's pretty good eating) -- which is just a few clicks from both Chesapeake Energy Arena and his new house -- and Sam Presti's brain, not necessarily in that order.
Oklahoma City is a tailor-made city for the very shy Durant. He is beloved there, but not suffocated. Fans give him his space. There are sellouts every night at Chesapeake Energy Arena, with loud and raucous supporters. The organization, from top to bottom, is first rate.
Durant's loyalty to the 405 runs deep, and rightly so.
"I love playing for Oklahoma City, man," Durant said last week. "There's just a certain level of pride that I have when I play with that Oklahoma City on my chest. That's the only thing I focus on. Everybody knows I represent where I come from, no matter where I play at, no matter what arena. But I just focus on playing with Oklahoma City. It feels like home to me now. So that's where I am."
By July of 2016, he'll be nearing his 28th birthday. With the Collective Bargaining Agreement limiting contracts to five years for players with their current teams and four years for players going to other teams, Durant won't be making his last deal. But it will be the last one in his prime as a player, at the height of his abilities.
Per NBA, Washington is prepared to make a pitch. The Wizards have an outstanding young backcourt in All-Star John Wall and Bradley Beal, and a solid big man inMarcin Gortat, all under contract for 2016, as well as Kris Humphries and Otto Porter Jr. They will shed roughly $18 million in cap space in 2016 when Nene and Paul Pierce come off the books, and could find another $7.8 million by not picking up their options on Martell Webster and DeJuan Blair.
But Oklahoma City shouldn't be quaking in its boots just yet. The Thunder have any number of factors on its side of the ledger: familiarity, loyalty, Russell Westbrook, Durant's restaurant (KD's, and it's pretty good eating) -- which is just a few clicks from both Chesapeake Energy Arena and his new house -- and Sam Presti's brain, not necessarily in that order.
Oklahoma City is a tailor-made city for the very shy Durant. He is beloved there, but not suffocated. Fans give him his space. There are sellouts every night at Chesapeake Energy Arena, with loud and raucous supporters. The organization, from top to bottom, is first rate.
Durant's loyalty to the 405 runs deep, and rightly so.
"I love playing for Oklahoma City, man," Durant said last week. "There's just a certain level of pride that I have when I play with that Oklahoma City on my chest. That's the only thing I focus on. Everybody knows I represent where I come from, no matter where I play at, no matter what arena. But I just focus on playing with Oklahoma City. It feels like home to me now. So that's where I am."
By July of 2016, he'll be nearing his 28th birthday. With the Collective Bargaining Agreement limiting contracts to five years for players with their current teams and four years for players going to other teams, Durant won't be making his last deal. But it will be the last one in his prime as a player, at the height of his abilities.
E. Carchia
@Sportando
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