The New York Knicks will be looking to rebuild this summer following back-to-back miserable seasons, but they can apparently cross Kevin Durant off their list of potential free agent signings.
Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News is reporting that Durant “does not consider the Knicks as a destination.”
That should surprise no one.
If Durant does decide to leave Oklahoma City, his top priority will be chasing a championship. There’s no way he believes the Knicks — led by a 31-year-old Carmelo Anthony and his bum knee — give him a legitimate chance to win a ring. The hiring of Phil Jackson a couple years ago gave New York some intrigue, but Jackson has yet to build anything close to a contender.
The Knicks likely further hurt their chances of signing Durant recently when they fired Derek Fisher, who is Durant’s friend and former teammate. You can read Durant’s reaction to Fisher’s firing here.
A previous report speculated that the Knicks could get Durant’s attention by hiring former Thunder head coach Scott Brooks, but there have been indications that Jackson wants to keep Kurt Rambis as New York’s head coach next season.
Durant has maintained that he wants to stay with the Thunder, but reports are starting to cast doubt over his future in OKC. If winning a championship is K.D.’s top priority, we all know the team that makes the most sense. Signing with the Knicks would not be wise.
