It is appearing more and more likely that Kevin Durant will choose between either the Oklahoma City Thunder or Washington Wizards when he hits free agency in 2016.
The drama surrounding Kevin Durant has not calmed down at all, and in fact it has picked up over the past few weeks. Durant is scheduled to hit the free agent market in the 2016 offseason, and the Washington Wizards have emerged as legitimate contenders to steal him away from the Oklahoma City Thunder assuming he does end up hitting the open market.
"The Texas teams will take their shot if they hear the right intel, and Durant’s hometown Wizards are biding their time in the easier conference. That intel is all over the place, by the way. Some teams are optimistic it will be open season, and others have heard rumblings that Durant has already made it known it will come down to the Thunder and Wizards. Nobody really knows."
Needless to say, this free agency war for Durant would be the same type of hype that LeBron James had when he first hit free agency. Durant would have the option to return home to D.C. and help out in the city like he wants, and also team up with one of the better young up-and-coming teams in the NBA right now.
Washington currently has both John Wall and Bradley Beal on the roster, and adding Durant would make them legitimate championship contenders. The Thunder are still currently considered the favorites to re-sign Durant by most, but the Wizards do have a legitimate chance.
Durant is coming off of his first MVP award last season, averaging 32.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. He shot 50.3 percent from the floor and 39.1 percent from behind the three-point arc, while also shooting 87.3 percent from the free-thrown line.
There is a lot that can change over the course of the next couple of years, but the Wizards are still expected to have a very good chance at stealing Durant away. He’s made it clear over the last few months that he loves the Thunder, but these rumors about the Wizards simply will not go away. Usually when there is a lot of talk about something there are things that are being said to start the rumors.
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Quite simply, Durant is going to end up doing what he feels is best for his career and his family. It will be intriguing to see if either the Dallas Mavericks or Houston Rockets can get involved in the race to sign him, but the Wizards and Thunder seem to be the finalists at this point in time. Both teams are going to be gearing up for that pursuit, and the Wizards seem to have the best roster and flexibility long-term to make something happen.
All of that being said, the summer of 2016 is going to be absolutely crazy as far as the media are concerned. Having Durant hit the market for the first time and having both of these teams chasing after him in a heated two-team race would be crazy to watch. Expect both teams to continue keeping themselves in position to make a deal with Durant happen, and for the competition to sign him to be one of the most heated that free agency has ever seen.