The race for Kevin Durant has already started despite the former MVP still being under contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder. All eyes are on the expiring deal assigned to Durant as he prepares for free agency next summer. Durant has remained quiet about his future while speculation runs wild and teams prep for a big run at the super star. With the Washington Wizards and Miami Heat considered frontrunners, are the New York Knicks an option?
Durant has said nothing in terms of what he intends to do next offseason so any report coming out about his future is merely speculation. However, Stephen A. Smith of ESPN is reporting that Durant is considering the Knicks as a potential landing spot in free agency next summer. Smith went as far as to say Carmelo Anthony is already recruiting the Thunder star.
"I know for a fact that Carmelo Anthony has been and will continue to recruit Kevin Durant until the cows come home. I'm also hearing that Kevin Durant is giving the New York Knicks consideration," Smith said, via ESPN's First Take.
Take this with a grain of salt considering it does not appear Smith talked to Durant directly about this situation. The Knicks have been discussed as a team interested in chasing Durant in 2016, but so is every other team in the league. The Knicks will have some salary cap space to use on the star, but do they have the roster to win him over?
According to team president Phil Jackson, the Knicks must win in order to land big names in free agency. That might be a struggle in 2015. New York chased top free agents in 2015 and came up short resorting in contracts for Arron Afflalo, Robin Lopez and Derrick Williams over Greg Monroe, LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love. Now they must hope they have enough talent to put up a winning record and show they can be successful again after a few down seasons. Anthony would love to get Durant under contract, but the Knicks will have a lot of competition more enticing than their own roster.
The Knicks have big moves on the brain. According to the Fox Sports and New York Daily News, they are a potential trade spot for Ricky Rubio or Brandon Jennings. They could also chase Al Horford and Mike Conley next summer as well. Much of that will depend on the Knicks winnings which means they need a lot out of the little they have.
