It was a saga that has been several years in the running. Where will Kevin Durant go once he hits free agency? Every team pulled out all the stops in their recruitment of the former MVP. Meetings in the Hamptons were ample. Elaborate team presentations supposedly blew the four time scoring champion away. But promises of grandeur and even Tom Brady couldn’t stop what happened on the Fourth of July. Kevin Durant took the “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” approach and signed with the Golden State Warriors.
It comes as little surprise that Durant made this decision. After having as many as ten suitors early last week, it became abundantly clear that the choice was down to his current team, Oklahoma City, or the Warriors. It is only surprising seeing how outspoken KD was during the “Take my talents to South Beach” fiasco that was LeBron James’ move to Miami. Furthermore, he now becomes public enemy #1 in a city where he has been beyond beloved for the past decade.
The internet has melted over the last hour with the news. Athlete and media reactions have ranged from incredulity to support to well, whatever you want to call what Stephen A. Smith does. The signing marks the end of an era of “what if”s in Oklahoma City. But the bigger questions will be the “what will be”s in Golden State.
Now according to ESPN’s Marc Stein, an NBA insider if there ever was one, Durant’s deal will be for two years with an opt out after the first. In the new economic climate of the NBA, this could easily be a short term stay for KD. While the man himself says the move is to take him out of his comfort zone, that elusive championship has to be the driving factor. For a player of his abilities to come oh so close, oh so many times, getting in bed with the enemy doesn’t seem that bad. As LeBron showed, you can always go back.
In the end, the biggest fish in the free agent pond has been hooked. The first two days of free agency produced plenty of talking points, from outrageous contracts for marginal players to the moving on of All-Star players. But none of them were THE talking point. Durant signing with the Warriors all but completes NBA free agency coverage less than a week in. No bigger firework could have went off on the Fourth of July.