Kevin Durant cannot kick the free-agency bug.
The Oklahoma City Thunder superstar is fiercely loyal and, even now, incredibly happy where he is. But 2016 free agency looms large for him, and he has given it some thought.
Even though he tries not to think about the future.
During a wide-ranging interview with USA Today‘s Sam Amick, Durant revealed it’s difficult for him to ignore the gravity of a moment and decision that is still nearly two years away:
“Our relationship has grown a lot, and it’s one of those things where it would definitely be difficult to not be running up and down the court with him, so I try not to even think about that,” Durant says. “But at the same time, I just want to enjoy the moment and not worry about the future, even though it’s tough to. I go home, and everybody asks me. Man, it’s crazy. Like little kids, 4 years old, ‘You coming to the Wizards?’ Man, (expletive), how do you know about this? At 4 years old, I didn’t even know what basketball players were. How do you know about free agency?”
There’s no mystery as to why his future prospects are impossible to disregard. Yes, it’s a big decision. And yes, there will be an array of options at his disposal. But it’s more than that.
Fans and the media make a big deal about it. Everything he says is dissected. People yearn to read between lines that aren’t necessarily there. Rumors continues surfacing at alarming rates.
The general public cannot let it go.
So neither can Durant.
Future uncertainty would be a lot easier to handle and push through if it wasn’t accompanied by extensive, often-obsessive outside interest. If we the people were merely content letting this play out, there would be no reason for Durant to be frustrated or anxious right now. That would come later. Much later.
And in truth, it shouldn’t be that hard for fans and rumor factories to table speculation. What’s the point? Nothing matters this early, because Durant isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
This isn’t a case of Kevin Love or Rajon Rondo or Carmelo Anthony or Chris Paul or Dwight Howard. Durant isn’t going to request a trade from the Thunder. For at least the next two seasons, they’re his team. And with the threat of a trade nonexistent, chatter should be kept to a minimum through this season at least.
That’s not how the NBA works, of course. Conjecture won’t stop. It will only worsen as time wears on. More and more four-year-olds will question Durant. He’ll navigate more rumors and more inquiries. He’ll continue to find that free-agency isn’t just a weeks- or months-long process.
It is, when you’re Durant, a years-long affair that he cannot escape until it reaches resolution.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
