Breaking: Kevin Durant Has Reportedly Made His Decision on Warriors Player Option
Superstar Kevin Durant has reportedly opted out of his contract with the Golden State Warriors, meaning he will become an unrestricted free agent.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news via Twitter on Wednesday.
“Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant has declined his $31.5M player option and will become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell ESPN,” Wojnarowski tweeted.
“Durant and his business manager Rich Kleiman are in New York, evaluating free agency options. So far, process has stayed private,” he added.
Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant has declined his $31.5M player option and will become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell ESPN. Durant and his business manager Rich Kleiman are in New York, evaluating free agency options. So far, process has stayed private.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 26, 2019
Durant re-signed with the Warriors last summer, inking a two-year, $61.5 million contract with a player option for the second year, which would be the 2019-20 season.
But there’s been speculation for months that Durant, 30, would bolt out of Golden State and play somewhere, perhaps for the Knicks or Nets.
After he tore his Achilles in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, the speculation grew louder.
Durant, a 10-time All-Star, four-time league scoring champ and former MVP, is expected to miss most — and possibly all — of the 2019-2020 season recovering from the injury.
Reports have surfaced in recent days that Durant was upset with the Warriors for how they handled his injury.
He was originally sidelined during the second round of the playoffs against Houston with a calf strain.
He didn’t return until Game 5 of the Finals, when he ruptured his Achilles just a few minutes into the second quarter.
Durant led the Warriors to back-to-back NBA titles in 2017 and 2018. He was named Finals MVP both of those years.
For the 2018-19 regular season, Durant averaged 26 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game.
With free agency officially opening on June 30 at 6:00 p.m., we could find out in a matter of days where Durant is headed next.
Just because he turned down the player option doesn’t necessarily mean he is leaving Golden State, Wojnarowski reported.
League sources told Wojnarowski that Durant is still considering a return to the Warriors.
ESPN story on Kevin Durant declining his $31.5M player option with the Warriors — and officially opening the door to free agency. https://t.co/LZ0zbkKLY4
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 26, 2019
Durant “can sign a four-year, $164 million deal with another team, and remains eligible to sign a five-year, $221 million deal with the Warriors,” the NBA insider wrote.
The Knicks, Nets and Clippers are also reportedly under consideration.
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