Six teams will get a shot at talking to Kevin Durant when free agency starts on July 1. Many more teams are interested in Durant but to start, he has narrowed down his choices to the Thunder, Warriors, Spurs, Celtics, Heat and Clippers.
Perhaps not wanting these meetings to drag and not wanting to travel to each team, Durant is making a weekend out of it. He is heading to New York City and then the Hamptons and having each team come to pitch him. Durant however, will talk with the Thunder in Oklahoma City before embarking on his weekend getaway.
Here is what we reportedly know from his meeting schedule:
Thursday, June 30: Thunder
Durant will fly from Los Angeles to Oklahoma City to meet with the Thunder. And since this is before the start of free agency, ESPN's Chris Broussard reports that this meeting will "be focused on team direction and broader topics to meet league guidelines."
According to ESPN's Marc Stein, the Thunder are hoping to get another, more final meeting with Durant this weekend:
OKC's hope, I'm told, is making one last pitch to KD in the Hamptons after the Warriors, Clippers, Spurs, Celtics and Heat get their turns.
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 30, 2016
Friday, July 1: Warriors, Clippers
Durant will then fly from Oklahoma City to New York City for free agent meetings with the remaining five teams. The first team outside of OKC he and his agent will meet is the Warriors, according to Broussard.
Durant meeting with Golden State before the other suitors could have to do with how well the Warriors have been in recent years, breaking the Chicago Bulls' regular season record with 73 wins and winning a title in 2015. Or ... it could have to do with how Golden State players actively recruited him during last season.
According to NBA.com's David Aldridge, Durant will also meet with the Clippers on Friday. Similar to the Warriors, the Clippers also have a lot going for them. They have All-Stars in Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, a top defensive big man in DeAndre Jordan, they play in sunny Los Angeles and Doc Rivers is well liked by his players.
Saturday, July 2: Spurs, Celtics
According to Broussard, the Spurs will meet with Durant on Saturday, July 2, when he is likely in the Hamptons. Which means Gregg Popovich will likely be heading to the Hamptons during July 4th weekend. Imagine that!
It's uncertain if that will make him more ornery during San Antonio's meeting with Durant but Pop went to Los Angeles last summer to woo LaMarcus Aldridge and was successful. Could Pop and the Spurs do it again this summer?
According to Aldridge, Durant will also meet with the Celtics on Saturday. Boston has plenty of cap space, future assets, an All-Star in Isaiah Thomas and the coaching expertise of Brad Stevens going for them. Plus if Durant decides to sign with the Celtics, he will get an unlimited supply of crab legs, one of his favorite things to eat.
Sunday, July 3: Heat
The lone remaining team the Miami Heat will according to Aldridge, meet with Durant in the Hamptons over the weekend.
Miami is an interesting position as they may not be able to sign both Dwyane Wade and Durant this summer. But Pat Riley always gets a meeting and Durant seems at least intrigued by the Heat.
Knicks still pushing for meeting
Carmelo Anthony is doing his best to recruit Durant to the Knicks and his talking may have actually helped New York's case. Durant is considering meeting with the Knicks but hasn't made it official yet.
It is kind of funny that Durant is meeting with teams in New York and isn't planning on talking with the Knicks but things could change as we get closer to the weekend.
Lakers won't get in the room
Jim Buss and the Lakers believe that they can entice Durant into signing with them but that doesn't seem to be the case. According to Broussard, Durant has no interest in meeting with the Lakers. Winning 17 games last season and have a very young roster likely turned Durant off from the Lakers.
Meeting with six teams in three days is quite the jam packed schedule for Durant but according to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Thunder star wants to meet with everyone quickly and then come to a decision before July 9, when he leaves on an international trip before joining Team USA for the Olympics.
