Kevin Durant's free agency meetings wrap Sunday in the Hamptons as he meets with the Miami Heat in what is essentially a pitch for next offseason. The Heat agreeing to terms with Hassan Whiteside on a max deal on Friday effectively squashes any hope that they can sign Durant this year due to cap issues, though Whiteside did say he would be willing to take less if it meant getting Durant. Either way, Durant will meet with the Heat, and then begin to sort everything out.
Here's everything you need to know about where we stand now and what to expect in the coming hours/days:
WHEN IS A DECISION COMING?
Durant is going to make his decision sometime on Monday during the 4th of July holiday, according to multiple outlets.
Kevin Durant is now expected to make his decision tomorrow, I'm told.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) July 4, 2016
The decision about when and how to announce was likely made weeks ago and has been orchestrated carefully. Durant is likely to do what LeBron James did after his decision to return to Cleveland in 2014, and head on a reclusive vacation as soon as announcing while the media storm blows over before joining Team USA later this month.
(And on behalf of all NBA writers, I'd like to say thank you to the NBA for once again hijacking fireworks and picnics for free agency madness.)
HOW WILL HE ANNOUNCE?
This is actually a pretty interesting question in the modern social media age. In 2010, Durant announced he was re-signing with the Thunder very quietly, with a very simple tweet. It was understated. You might think he'd go for that this time. He could also speak to a reporter, the way that James did with Lee Jenkins for Sports Illustrated. He could potentially speak with ESPN's Royce Young who has covered him since the Thunder's arrival in Oklahoma City, or Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick, who has done several features on him.
Those options are traditional, though, and in the modern sports media landscape, you tell your own story. Durant is a "deputy publisher" at the Player's Tribune, and as the entire point of that site is to allow athletes to control the story, it's most likely that Durant will release a prepared essay on that platform. So add the Player's Tribune to your notifications.
WHO'S CURRENTLY IN THE LEAD?
Here's your rundown:
Los Angeles Clippers: OUT. The Clippers agreed to a new big-money deal with Austin Rivers Saturday night, and extended an offer to Jamal Crawford, despite it reportedly being so low he's heading for greener pastures. The Rivers move tied up cap space they would have needed for Durant, signaling that they are no longer pursuing him. Despite his being "blown away," according to a report, at the Clippers' presentation, clearly he signaled to L.A. that it was out.
Miami Heat: LIKELY OUT. As mentioned, having given Hassan Whiteside the max deal he's been looking for probably means Durant isn't headed to South Beach. It's possible if Durant did a 180 and told the Heat Sunday that he was going with them unexpectedly, that they then could create the space they need, but the indications, at this point, are that the Heat are out.
San Antonio Spurs: LIKELY OUT. With Manu Ginobili coming back, with Boris Diaw coming back, and with how quiet things have been on this front, you have to assume that things are not shaping up for the Spurs. If they thought they were getting Durant, even if they thought it was possible, they'd be talking to teams about taking on salary to clear the necessary space and while the Spurs wouldn't leak it, someone else would have. You have to think San Antonio is on the outside looking in.
Boston Celtics: UNCERTAIN. They brought Tom Brady. They signed Al Horford. They have the market, the team, the front office, and perhaps most importantly, the coach in Brad Stevens. Here, in fact, is what Durant said about having a great coach during the Thunder's second-round series vs. the Spurs:
"Having a really good coach is probably the most important thing in this league. You can have all the great players you want but you have to have someone to orchestrate it. That's what they have, a great coach that can put them in positions to utilize all their individual strengths and make them come together as a team. (Gregg Popovich is) the guy who's been here for the longest, having someone like that to orchestrate what you do obviously helps."
Source: Kevin Durant praises Gregg Popovich: He keeps the Spurs consistent - CBSSports.com.
Now, Billy Donovan beat Gregg Popovich in the playoffs, and had the Thunder one win from the Finals, so Durant has a good coach in OKC. But there's a perception that Stevens, who incidentally has never won a playoff series, is one of the best coaches in the NBA.
Throw in Horford, who Durant had reportedly tried to recruit, and all of a sudden there's a lot of momentum for Boston. You have to consider the Celtics as maybe the biggest threat to Oklahoma City.
ESPN reported Sunday that it's down to Warriors vs. Thunder for Durant's services, but CSN New England maintains the Celtics are still in the hunt.
Golden State Warriors: REPORTEDLY TIED FOR THE LEAD The Warriors offer the 73-win team, the beauty and market of the Bay, the organization that is "light-years ahead," and all that comes with it. But while reports were strong about the Clippers' and Thunder's pitch, we haven't heard much at all about the Warriors meeting. What we have heard is noise about Golden State pursuing Jamal Crawford and Pau Gasol, and they haven't committed to matching the max offer that the Mavericks will reportedly extend to restricted free agent Harrison Barnes, clearly because they don't think they're out of the Durant sweepstakes yet. And they're probably right.
Golden State re-emerged Sunday as the biggest threat to the Thunder, but it was all murmurs and whispers. It was noise, never anything concrete; one of those weird things that floats through the zeitgeist. They are definitely regarded as the big threat righ tnow.
Oklahoma City Thunder: MAINTAINING POLE POSITION. Until Durant says he's leaving, you have to think the Thunder are in the lead. That's just the logical assumption. They offer the most money. They offer Russell Westbrook. They offer a team that's made the Western Conference finals every year the past six seasons when the Thunder were healthy (four times). They have done everything to make him happy and comfortable and they've been aggressive in looking to improve the team at every turn.
The Thunder have to be feeling nervous that Durant didn't call off the meetings with other teams and just re-sign on the spot, and they have to be feeling nervous that the meetings with Golden State and Boston went on for as long as they did. Those are not good signs. They're at risk, but you still have to think the Thunder are in the lead until they aren't.
And if they aren't, it's over for OKC.
