The OKC Thunder are hoping to keep Kevin Durant in free agency next summer and teams like the Washington Wizards, Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks are expected to chase the former MVP and this comes as Oklahoma City has signed back Enes Kanter to a contract extension after the offer sheet from the Portland Trail Blazers was matched.
Durant is set to be a free agent in 2016 and he is expected to be the biggest target on the market in free agency since LeBron James made his decision to play in Miami. Oklahoma City feels that they are in good position to keep Durant, but teams like the Washington Wizards, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers could make strong plays for the forward. According to CBS Sports reporter Ken Berger, most "league execs" that were "informally polled" at the summer league "expect" Durant to remain in OKC moving forward.
Durant's future has been speculated about for years and now there is just one season left before he is eligible to hit the market. Berger writes that there are not many teams that are "legitimately" in the mix for Durant and that could have an effect on how things go for Oklahoma City. Berger writes that the Los Angeles Lakers, Wizards, Warriors, Dallas Mavericks and the Knicks "are in the mix" to get Durant. Berger also adds that the Thunder are in a good spot to keep Durant.
The team may not have wanted to pay big money for Enes Kanter after he got an offer sheet from the Blazers, but Berger writes the move was all about Durant. The deal may be a bit tough financially, but with the salary cap rising the year to year hit should not be too bad for a player like Kanter. On top of that, the Thunder need to contend this year to really have a shot to keep Durant and keeping Kanter was an integral part of that. The team has traded Perry Jones to lower the tax moving forward and the team is ready to deal with a spike for the time being.
There are some other notable names that will be on the market next year like Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Mike Conley, Timofey Mozgov, Hassan Whiteside and Dwyane Wade, but no one with the impact of Durant. The Wizards are expected to push hard for the hometown hero angle, while the Mavericks, Lakers and Knicks likely will have to do huge sell jobs. The Thunder have been successful with Durant and while they missed the playoffs with him injured last year, the past success could be enough to keep him in OKC.
Last season Durant played in just 27 games and averaged 25 points, six rebounds and four assists. The Thunder are hoping that Durant can stay healthy this season and it comes with Kanter back in the fold on a four year deal worth $70 million. The Blazers came in with an offer sheet after LaMarcus Aldridge signed with the Spurs and Kanter comes in after averaging 15 points and nine rebounds per game in 75 games last season. Kanter was acquired in a trade with the Jazz.
Check here for more on the Oklahoma City Thunder offseason moves, the future for Kevin Durant and interest from the Lakers, WAS, GSW and Dallas Mavs and for more on the Kanter deal.