Golden State Warriors: Kevin Durant Coming To The Bay Area?

The Golden State Warriors, already loaded with talent, are considered the front runners to sign free agent to be Kevin Durant this Summer.

More from Golden State Warriors

April Fool’s Day is in two months, but this is no joke. League sources have told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports that the Golden State Warriors are one of the front-runners to sign Kevin Durant, who will be the most sought after free agent in the NBA come July 1st. If Durant does decide to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder, then one would think that the Warriors might just be at the top of the list.

But — how? Wouldn’t Durant, a top five player in the league who is still in his prime have a price tag too high for Golden State? Especially with a big payday coming next summer for Stephen Curry? Big time money for superstar player is normally a concern for most teams. However, with the Warriors’ new TV deal kicking in next off-season, the salary cap is rising and will continue to rise over the next several years. So, fitting Durant into their financial picture wouldn’t be the problem, as amazing as that may sound.

The idea of having Durant on the court alongside Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green surely has Warriors fans all across the world wondering how good this team — yes, the same team currently on track to surpass the ’95-’96 Chicago Bulls 72-10 mark — could really be. One of the best players in the world joining forces with the (potential) two time defending champions, with a core still entering their prime, might take this whole “dynasty” phrase to a new level.

A lot of things to fall in place though, for Durant to join Golden State.

From Golden State’s perspective —

First, Curry — and to a lesser, but still large extent Thompson and Green — have to be 100 percent on board with Durant joining forces. If any of them, especially Curry, has any doubts or is hesitant that Durant joining their squad could mess up their rhythm, it’s not happening.

But from all that has been seen and heard, this doesn’t seem like it would be the factor that prevents Durant from wearing a Warriors jersey. Green has been vocal about other players wanting to come to Golden State because to the fun they have playing together and the chemistry they seem to have on and off the court.

There’s no doubt that Durant — or any other player in the league, for that matter — would object to being a part of that type of environment. Additionally, in the unlikely event that Curry decided to “go home” to Charlotte once he becomes a free agent, Golden State would still have a franchise guy in Durant and wouldn’t skip much of a beat.

Signing Durant will almost surely mean losing Harrison Barnes, and most likely Andre Iguodala or Andrew Bogut. Iguodala and Bogut are both getting older, so losing one of them, in all likelihood wouldn’t prevent ownership from acquiring Durant. The real piece to look at is Barnes. He is only 23, but has shown he can be equally exciting and relevant on the court.

More from Golden Gate Sports

When looking from afar, obviously replacing Barnes with Durant would be a major upgrade. However, signing Barnes for a much cheaper price, and adding some other pieces while retaining others, may be looked at as the best option, especially if they come off another championship.

And if that’s the case – you can’t blame Joe Lacob and Bob Myers from not wanting to change a thing from what has brought them incredible success.

From Kevin Durant’s perspective —

Right off the bat, Durant won’t be able to get as much money from the Warriors — or any other team — as he would from staying with Oklahoma City. However, with the insane amount of money players like Durant make off of the court, he would likely be willing to take a slight pay cut to join another team if he says his mission is to put himself in the best position to win championships.

Jan 27, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) dunks in the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /

There are typically two types of free agents — those who want to stay, and those who want to leave. By all accounts, it doesn’t seem at all that Durant can’t wait to get out Oklahoma City. He wants nothing more then to win a championship for the organization and for the city, a championship which has been within their grasp multiple times.

Let’s not forget, that while Golden State and the San Antonio Spurs are the talk of the league and it is presumed that one of those two will represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals, OKC is a darn good basketball team as well.

Durant, alongside his running mate Russell Westbrook, can get hot and make a run through the West. They aren’t getting any attention, but it wouldn’t be a complete shock. Even if OKC doesn’t reach the Finals, but makes a deep run, Durant may feel that his current team is very close and that he should stay where he is.

Durant and his representatives would have to be aware of the incredible amount of scrutiny that he would surely face. Joining forces with one of the best teams in NBA history and players like Curry may make Durant look weak. The “championship or failure” judgement wouldn’t be more true for any player in the league.

And even if he did rip off a string of championships, they could be perceived by the media and fans as not credible and a byproduct of a system in place before he arrived. Will he want his ‘legacy’ to be that of chasing championships and riding the Warriors’ coattails?

Durant might not care what the media thinks, but if he feels that he’s looked upon as having taken the easier path to Golden State in order to win a championship as opposed to staying in OKC and winning one on his own, he might not leave.

Next: Why I Also Hate The Golden State Warriors

Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors is one of the more intriguing headlines that the NBA world, and the Bay Area has ever heard. It’s only likely to pick up some steam, especially after Golden State hopefully wins another ring. There are definitely pros and cons to coming to Golden State for Durant, and only time will tell what he decides his best course of action to be.

What do you think? Will Durant sign with Golden State? Should he? Would you want Durant to come to the Warriors, or do you think it might screw up what they already have going? Comment Below!

Home/Golden State Warriors