Kevin Durant is the biggest name to hit the free agency market since LeBron James went back to Cleveland, and there has been plenty of speculation about his future and where he'll sign for the past two years. Every team in the league is planning on going after him, but only a few have a legitimate chance. Here are his four most likely destinations, and how he would fit each of those teams:
4) Washington Wizards
When LeBron announced he was returning to Cleveland, Durant made public comments about how much he liked the idea about "going home". The Wizards have had a rabid grassroots "Come Home KD" campaign, one of the best young backcourts in the game with John Wall and Bradley Beal, and they recently hired his former head coach in Scott Brooks. Washington has certainly lost steam as their team has struggled, but if he's in love with the idea of playing in his hometown, the Wizards become a very appealing option.
3) San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio has emerged as the dark horse in the race to land Durant, and their appeal is obvious. The Spurs are considered to be the model franchise in the league and have a long history of winning championships. There would be some questions about how to get the most out of their lineup since him and Kawhi Leonard play the same position, but that's a problem Gregg Popovich would love to deal with.
2) Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are easily the biggest threat to Oklahoma City for KD's services. In fact, there's even a strong fear among members of OKC's front office that Golden State's infatuation with Durant could impress him enough and cause him to leave. Getting a chance to play for the defending champs while still having a max contract (which the Warriors do have cap space for) is a very obvious plus, as is the chance to play alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
1) Oklahoma City Thunder
All that being said, the Thunder are still his most likely landing spot - at least for the next year.
Most insiders see the most likely scenario at present to be Kevin Durant staying in OKC on a two-year max deal with an opt-out after Year 1.
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) May 31, 2016
Russell Westbrook will be a free agent after the 2016-17 season, and many think that Durant will use that opt-out after the first year so him and Westbrook can decide on their futures together - whether that means both staying in OKC or signing elsewhere (but not necessarily signing elsewhere together).
Oklahoma City also showed that they have the potential to win a title by knocking off the Spurs and nearly beating the Warriors. Signing up for one more run before becoming a free agent again in 2017 appears to be how this drama will shake out.
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