Kevin Durant announced on Monday that he is signing with the Golden State Warriors, but the team is only guaranteed to have him under contract through the 2016-2017 season.
Marc Stein of ESPN reports that Durant will sign a two-year deal with Golden State that includes an opt-out clause for next summer.
In all likelihood, Durant is simply trying to position himself to earn as much money as he can by signing a max contract when the NBA’s salary cap increases. The decision to sign what is essentially a one-year deal is a business one.
However, the Warriors will have to do some shuffling in order to keep their team of superstars together. They’re expected to trade center Andrew Bogut and have reportedly decided to renounce their rights to center Festus Ezeli. Stephen Curry is currently the biggest bargain in the NBA, and he will command a max contract next summer after playing for just $12 million next season.
