Kevin Durant will return to the Golden State Warriors next season.
Durant will sign a two-year deal with the Warriors that includes a player option for after next season, according to multiple reports. As the New York Times’ Marc Stein says, Durant will be paid $30.5 million next season. He will have the chance to become a free agent after the year.
The new deal would pay Durant $30.5 million next season and allow the two-time reigning Finals MVP to return to free agency in July 2019 — three months before Golden State moves into the new Chase Center in San Francisco https://t.co/Q3qklVsrkz
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 1, 2018
The 1+1 structure of the contract gives the Warriors savings for the upcoming season.
The Kevin Durant contract is for $30M and $31.5M with a player option in year 2. The $5M Durant savings this year now offsets the $5.3M tax midlevel if Golden State elects to use it. Durant would save the Warriors $20M in projected luxury tax costs.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 1, 2018
Although we knew Durant was going to opt out of his deal and become a free agent, all indications were that he would return to the Warriors for a third straight season, which he will be doing.
So far, he’s 2-for-2 on winning NBA championships and NBA Finals MVP awards. He’s looking to make it 3-for-3.
Though Golden State has had a great run, Warriors fans probably are not looking forward to the summer of 2019, when both Durant and Klay Thompson could become free agents.
