Report: Warriors heavy favorites if Kevin Durant leaves Thunder

The Golden State Warriors are reportedly “significant” favorites to sign Kevin Durant should he leave the Oklahoma City Thunder as a free agent this summer.

The Golden State Warriors are “significant” favorites to sign Kevin Durant should he leave the Oklahoma City Thunder as a free agent this summer, reports Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski.

Durant becomes an unrestricted free agent for the first time at the end of the season, and though he is reportedly far from a decision to leave the Thunder, the 27-year-old forward will have a serious suitor in the defending champion, 44–4 Warriors.

Wojnarowski reports Warriors forward Draymond Green, one of the team’s leaders, is behind the potential push for Durant in an “unflinching” manner. Fitting him into Golden State’s salary situation would take some maneuvering, most likely including the departures of forwards Harrison Barnes and Andre Iguodala, for cap purposes. But from a financial standpoint, the Warriors in theory have the flexibility to make a serious bid for Durant.

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“Oh man, that’s part of the business,” Barnes told theSan Francisco Chronicle’s Rusty Simmons. “He’s a great player. If that’s the move they want to make, you know, hopefully, it works out.” 

Washington, Houston and Miami are all expected to be suitors and have been tied to Durant previously. Wojnarowski reports the Clippers can be added to that mix, and that the Lakers are an extreme long shot.

Durant will team with Green, reigning MVP Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson as teammates during next weekend’s All-Star festivities, and has also trained with them as part of USA Basketball.

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Adding one of the NBA’s top players to its top team would be a major shakeup to the league landscape. Durant becomes a free agent on July 1.

- Jeremy Woo