As the 2015-16 season continues to wind down and we get closer to the free agency bonanza that will be the summer of 2016, rumors are heating up. Espeically with as many as 25 teams having max cap room as the cap will increase by $35 million, it will be a media firestorm.
The big prize in this year’s free agency class is 2013-14 regular season MVP Kevin Durant.
Durant is rumored to be pursued heavily by many teams including the Wizards, Celtics, Knicks, Lakers and even the 61-6 Golden State Warriors.
It appears a new team may be throwing their hat in the ring for Durant which may be an even scarier proposition than the Warriors: The San Antonio Spurs.
According to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, rival executives in the NBA think that the Spurs will position themselves to be able to offer Durant a max contract.
Spurs Expected To Explore Pursuit Of Kevin Durant: https://t.co/N8K507zSpn pic.twitter.com/XbRXRMJEBo
— RealGM (@RealGM) March 17, 2016
One can assume that Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili will be gone after this season and Durant would be able to join the most well-run organization in the NBA featuring it’s best coach (maybe ever) and he would create the most lethal forward combo in NBA history with Kawhi Leonard. Not to mention a top 20 player in LaMarcus Aldridge and a bunch of savvy role players.
On paper, Durant to the Warriors seems more mind boggling and frightening, but when you consider that there is only so many shots to be had and pursuing Durant would mean getting rid of Andre Iguodala, Andrew Bogut and renouncing rights to Harrison Barnes, the move would make the Warriors much less deep and effective defensively and wouldn’t translate as well on the court as it does in a dream scenario.
Durant to the Spurs meanwhile could make sense all the way around and be an absolute nightmare for the rest of the league.
A lineup featuring Tony Parker, Danny Green, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge would be impossible to defend and possess the necessary length, coaching and athleticism to be a top 10 defense.
Durant and Leonard could be this generation’s longer, evolved version of Jordan and Pippen and could dominate the NBA for the next five to eight years. Leonard would also easily concede not being the main guy as the unselfish player he is.
If there is one thing that should keep opposing GM’s up at night, it’s the prospect of Kevin Durant donning the black and silver next season.
