OKC Thunder: 2015-16 Roundtable Discussion

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Mar 19, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) brings the ball up court against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Oklahoma City defeats Indiana 115-111. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Two-part question: Kevin Durant’s impending free agency is the biggest storyline going into the offseason, where do you think he ends up next year? Has the front office done enough to show him that sticking around is his best option?

Eberley: The front office HASN’T done enough to show him sticking around is the best option. Though I believe he stays, him and Westbrook are a special pairing. Durant coming back on a one year deal makes the most sense, since it’ll mean more money down the line as the cap rises again. It’ll also let him and Westbrook pursue options together in the 2017 offseason.

Bourguet: Funnily enough, I think he stays in OKC, but I also believe the front office hasn’t done enough to show him that sticking around is the best option, if that makes sense. While the Thunder’s draft record is impeccable, Sam Presti’s trades have just been disastrous. From the infamous James Harden trade to adding Dion Waiters to an unimpressive haul for Reggie Jackson, every trade the Thunder have made over these last few years has moved them further away from title contention.

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The only problem is, outside of creating a super team with Golden State, where else could KD go where he’d have a better chance at winning a title rather than stick with a core of Westbrook and Serge Ibaka and hope the front office can add some depth, defense and firepower on the perimeter?

Hanneke: I think he signs a one-year deal and he, Westbrook and Ibaka give it one more shot before exploring their options together in 2017. I think the front office has made plenty of mistakes, but I also think everything they have done has been with the mindset that “Russ and KD are the building blocks, and we are building the rest of the roster accordingly.”

So even if they botched the execution on a couple moves, I don’t think that Durant would be leaving because he didn’t think the front office has his best interests in mind. I think it’d just be because he felt like he had better opportunities elsewhere.

Woods: I think he stays in OKC for at least one more year, as other teams may be more hesitant to build the team around him without a long-term commitment. Durant will probably sign a one-year deal, as he’ll be eligible for the 10-year max in the summer of 2017. The FO probably hasn’t done enough to show him that OKC is the best option. Presti and company have done a good job drafting, but rookies aren’t what make franchise players like Durant stick around.

Next: Is Westbrook better than KD?

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