Kevin Durant will officially become an unrestricted free agent on June 30.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Durant has opted out of his 2019-20 deal with the Golden State Warriors to become a free agent. The option was worth $31.5 million for the upcoming season. The report mentions that Durant is currently in New York with his business partner, Rich Kleiman, evaluating his free agency options.
Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant has declined his $31.5M player option and will become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell ESPN. Durant and his business manager Rich Kleiman are in New York, evaluating free agency options. So far, process has stayed private.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 26, 2019
The two-time NBA champion suffered an Achilles injury during Game 5 of the NBA Finals that will likely sideline him for the entirety of the upcoming season.
Despite the career-altering injury, Durant will have many options entering the free agency period. He could still re-sign with the Warriors for the max for five years and $221 million. He can also sign a max-level deal with teams such as the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets while teaming up with Kyrie Irving, though teams outside of the Warriors can only offer him as high as four years.
At this point, it's anyone's guess where Durant is leaning to sign when free agency begins on Sunday. He could decide to re-up with the Warriors where he'll have the opportunity to continue to win titles with an established franchise. He could also very well leave Golden State for the opportunity of leading his own franchise -- such as the Nets or Knicks -- to a championship to add another layer to his legacy.
All we know for certain is that despite the fact that he'll be 32 years old by the time he returns to play on the basketball court, Durant remains one of the top two free agents available this offseason.
