In a turnaround from the Knicks being a lock, the LA Clippers are now considered an equal threat to sign KD, reports Marc Stein.
Tuesday evening, Marc Stein wrote in the New York Times that:
"Within the last month, very smart and plugged-in people I have consulted say that the Los Angeles Clippers have emerged as an equally dangerous threat to the Knicks to sign Durant away from Golden State. And I believe it."
This is a pretty big bomb from Stein, given that the consensus for a while now has been that the Knicks are a lock to sign the All-World forward away from the Warriors.
In a statement which seems to support what Stein had to say, Rich Kleiman, manager for Kevin Durant, said concerning KD’s free agency, “That is 100% undecided and I’m waiting on Kevin. That’s the truth… He really doesn’t know & I really don’t know.”
So it seems that the two-time Finals MVP may not have his mind quite as made up as some in the media would have you believe. In that case, perhaps it really will just come down to which team fits him better.
You have to believe that the Clippers come out on top in that discussion. The Knicks are one huge question mark going forward. After dealing Kristaps Porzingis this season, there’s not much identity in the Big Apple right now. Combine that with a media presence in NY that is itching to tear apart anybody on the Knicks, and you start to wonder how attractive that team is to KD.
On the other hand, Durant is well acquainted with the culture of the Los Angeles Clippers. During the surprising 6 game series in the playoffs, KD and Patrick Beverley got into it often, but both seemed to enjoy the experience. And it’s been well publicized that Durant has been very complimentary of our rookies, having kind words for shooting guard Landry Shamet and point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this season.
The Clippers are a team that’s fully formed, just waiting for a superstar to push them over the edge. They have a group of super role players, rookies that can help extend a superstar’s prime, and a coaching staff that’s among the top in the league. A guy like KD has to be looking at the Clippers and realizing that he could be the missing piece that turns them into a superpower in the West.
Not to mention that the cap space would allow him to bring a buddy to the team. Yes, the Knicks have that as well, but very rarely do two max-level players have the opportunity to slot into an established team so seamlessly, rather than joining a gutted team and hoping to attract role players.
If Marc Stein and his sources are to be believed, KD could be taking all of these things into very serious consideration. The whole front office did a wonderful job building a team that could compete while still attracting the top level of free agents, and Kevin Durant could be the final piece to that puzzle.