Golden State Warriors: How Would Signing Kevin Durant Work?

The Obstacles

Kevin Durant joining the reigning NBA champs sounds all fine and dandy, but there are an awful lot of obstacles to consider first.

For one thing, if the Warriors were unable to sign Durant outright and had to engage in sign-and-trade discussions with the Thunder, restricted free agents Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli would have the right to refuse being dealt to OKC if they were included in the deal.

Since any sign-and-trade move would have to start with Barnes, this presents a potential problem. Even if Barnes did want an expanded role on a new team, the lure of winning and continuing to play with teammates he’s close with would be hard to ignore. So even if KD was onboard with joining the Warriors, it might require Barnes to agree to be dealt in order for it to happen.

Another potential problem: Kevin Durant’s ongoing injury problems. This season, he’s posted 28.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game on .503/.447/.893 shooting splits, so it’s more than obvious that when healthy, he’s still one of the most elite players in the NBA.

However, he’s already missed three games with a hamstring injury and is coming off an injury-stunted season due to a Jones fracture in his foot. The 2013-14 MVP should be given the benefit of the doubt, especially if he can come back healthy, but if the 2015-16 campaign is as banged up as last year, a contender like the Warriors might have some qualms about giving up the farm for him.

There’s also the biggest, most obvious issue that every Durant suitor fears in the pit of their stomach: What if KD decides he has the best shot at winning a title right where he is in Oklahoma City? What if he loves playing with Westbrook and Serge Ibaka? What if, God forbid, Durant buys in to the Billy Donovan era or — GASP! — the Thunder actually win a title?

In that event, there’s a zero percent chance Durant entertains the thought of signing elsewhere, especially since he could make more money by re-signing with the Thunder.

That’s another potential caveat to this dream scenario: Championship or not, Durant could just re-sign with the Thunder for a max, one-year deal, giving Donovan another chance to prove himself and giving KD the opportunity to make even more money when the cap jumps to a projected $109 million for 2017-18.

It’s also worth mentioning that the LeBron James effect of returning home could make the Washington Wizards a free agency threat. Durant would join a young, talented core of John Wall and Bradley Beal in his hometown, the Wizards could sign him outright and he’d be playing in the Eastern Conference, where the path to the Finals is much easier than out West.

Adding Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors is a terrifying proposition, and if life were like NBA 2K’s “MyGM” mode, there’s no question it’d be the no-brainer option. But at this point, there are far too many obstacles and not nearly enough evidence to suggest this dream scenario is even close to being realistic.

Next: The Verdict