Kevin Durant announces he will sign with Golden State Warriors
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant drives to the basket as Golden State Warriors will join Iguodala and the Warriors next season.
Kevin Durant announces he will sign with Golden State Warriors, coach Steve Kerr finding a way to make it all look so much easier than the isolation-heavy way of the world in Oklahoma City alongside Russell Westbrook. Part of it was relationship-based, with Durant growing close with Warriors players in recent years – none more so than Curry and super sixth man Andre Iguodala during the FIBA World Championships in 2010.
According to sources that he should sign with the Warriors. Instead, in what was clearly a theme of Durant’s decision-making process, they discussed what was best for his growth and happiness as a player.
“One reason OKC folks should be nervous about Durant phone chat with GSW advisor Jerry West: The Logo closed the deal for Shaq-to-LA in ‘96.”
Durant on a one-year deal, then signed a five-year deal next summer in order take advantage of the salary cap that is expected to jump from $94 million next season to $107 million in 2017-18, he would have made a combined $229 million in those six seasons “home” teams can given 7.5% raises, as opposed to 4.5% for everyone else, and five-year deals as opposed to four, while Durant’s combined total salary will be approximately $177 million if he signs a four-year deal with the Warriors next summer, the actual difference in earnings by the time the summer of 2021 rolls around will be approximately $7 million.
However Durant is the highest-paid players at the age of 32 years-old.
The two have a fantastic relationship, one that continued from a distance after Adams left for the Chicago Bulls six summers ago. Before games between the Warriors and Thunder the past two seasons, Adams and Durant would routinely visit. Whether it was just a half-hug or a brief visit, it was quite evident that there’s a mutual respect there that should help them going forward.
After Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena, when the Warriors comeback from a 3-1 deficit to the Thunder was complete, Adams stopped Durant on his way back to the visitor’s locker room to make sure Durant knew how proud he was of the player he had become. Durant is a born to score but his defensive improvements have come progressively over the years.
