Our nation's birthday brings with it the news that LaMarcus Aldridge is taking his talents to San Antonio, but there's plenty of other intrigue to be had -- ESPECIALLY surrounding the Oklahoma City Thunder. Here's our Thunder Free Agency Rumors Roundup For July 4th.
Kevin Durant Not Thinking About 2016
With the main shots already having been fired in the 2015 NBA free agency period, attention has naturally turned to Kevin Durant and his upcoming contract year with the Thunder.
However, Durant is doing his best to minimize such attention while diving head-first into his rehab process.
"No, I haven't thought about it," he said, via ABC News. "I hear it all the time, but I really am just focusing on rehab. I can't get there unless I take care of today. That's the way I look at it even though I hear it from every side, thinking past to next summer. But I'm not even trying to focus on that."
"My main thing is just getting rid of distractions and focusing on what I have to do," he added. "I just can't wait to play the game I love again. That's all I'm focused on."
Enes Kanter Set For Blockbuster Deal
After acquiring him via trade from the Utah Jazz in the middle of the 2014-15 campaign, the Thunder are not prepared to let dynamic big man Enes Kanter slip through their hands in restricted free agency.
Via Vincent Goodwill of Comcast SportsNet Chicago:
Sources: OKC offering RFA Enes Kanter a deal starting at 15.5 per and will match any offer sheet
— Vincent Goodwill (@vgoodwill) July 4, 2015
The Swiss-born 23-year-old upped the ante after his move to OKC, averaging a double-double (18.7 points, 11 rebounds) with 56.6% shooting in 26 games for the Thunder.
Another Major Contender In Play For Kevin Durant?
Back to the Durant story -- the Dallas Mavericks' busy offseason is leading them to believe that they can be a player for the perennial All-Star when free agency opens next July.
According to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, "with DeAndre Jordan on board, Mavs now believe they can be a significant player for the biggest free agent prize next summer: Kevin Durant."
You'll hear plenty of teams entering and exiting the Durant conversation over the next year, so this should be no surprise and no (immediate) worry for Thunder fans.
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