3. KD might take less than the max
The bad news gets worse for the rest of the league. Curry and KD re-signing is frightening enough as it is, but the one glimmer of hope was that Golden State wouldn’t be able to retain its two superstars AND bring back integral bench pieces like Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston.
It’s also worth mentioning that Zaza Pachulia, Ian Clark, JaVale McGee, David West and Matt Barnes all come off the books this summer too.
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Iggy and Livingston are the vital pieces that need to return for the reign to continue, but according to ESPN‘s Ramona Shelburne and Chris Haynes, that could be a legitimate possibility if Kevin Durant is truly willing to take less than a max deal.
The max that KD could receive from the Warriors would see his salary start at $35.4 million a year, but such a deal would require the defending champs to renounce the rights to both Iguodala and Livingston to clear enough room. But if he’s willing to take less than the max, the Dubs would not need to renounce the rights to any of their impending free agents.
Per ESPN, if Durant took another 1+1 deal worth $4 million less than the max, and waited another year for a long-term extension, the Dubs could use their Bird Rights to re-sign Iggy and Livingston to deals comparable to what they’d command on the open market.
Both players would likely have to sacrifice a bit to keep the band together, and perhaps after winning two titles in three seasons, they’re ready for a legitimate payday and the next chapter of their NBA journey. However, these guys genuinely enjoy playing together, and if the Dubs are willing to dive that far into the luxury tax to keep a dynasty together, that’s a hard proposition to turn down.