Kevin Durant may have to sit out the entire 2019-20 season if his latest injury is as serious as it appears, but that has not changed the way at least one team views his impending free agency this summer.
Marc Berman of the New York Post reported on Wednesday that the Knicks are expected to pursue Durant with a max contract offer this offseason whether he will be able to play next year or not. The same is likely true for other teams, as several NBA officials told Berman they believe Durant is worth the risk associated with signing a player who is rehabbing from a potential torn Achilles.
That meshes with what ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier in the day, which is that Durant considers opting into the final year of his contract with the Golden State Warriors a “last resort.” He has one year and $31 million remaining on the deal, but it is a virtual certainly that the Warriors and/or other teams will be willing to sign him to a contract that includes both more years and dollars.
Because of the way they appear to have mishandled his injury situation, one line of thinking is that the Warriors may feel even more inclined to offer Durant a max contract to remain in Golden State. That doesn’t mean he will accept it, but opting out of his current deal still seems very likely.
