An interesting hypothetical was proposed on the Colin Cowherd show earlier this week surrounding Kevin Durant’s free agency and the amount of power he holds to shape the western conference for the 2016-17 season.
Kevin Durant will meet with six teams during the free agency over the next few days as well as meeting with the Thunder on Thursday. The two biggest contenders to pry away Durant from the Thunder more than likely are his two biggest rivals in the western conference: the Warriors and the Spurs.
If Durant were to decide to stay with Oklahoma City before the free agency he could hypothetically also weaken the most talented team in the NBA considerably and do it without breaking any league rules per say: think DeAndre Jordan.
There is nothing stopping Durant from telling the Warriors after their meeting that he would like to sign with them and would like them to do what is necessary to accommodate his signing for a max contract.
Durant could verbally agree to sign with the Warriors, which is all he would be able to do after his initial meeting anyway because of the moratorium and the new league year not starting until July 10. Then he could have a “change of heart” and decide to re-sign with the Thunder once the moratorium is lifted and he is actually eligible to sign a new contract.
Durant simply saying he would join the Warriors would cause them to weaken their roster considerably to make a signing work which would include dumping Andre Iguodala and Andrew Bogut in a trade and renouncing their rights to restricted free agent Harrison Barnes, making him unrestricted.
It would be an incredibly maniacal, groundbreaking and savvy move that Durant would have to deny, except behind closed doors, for the rest of his career, but it would also potentially make the Thunder’s path back to the NBA Finals and his first NBA title considerably easier.
The vitriol and sheer hatred of Durant by the Warriors players, organization and fans would more than likely reach levels we have never seen before in professional sports. The backlash from the media would be intense as well and social media would more than likely explode.
It is a scenario that is highly unlikely and I doubt Durant has the amount of cunning and dishonesty needed to actually carry through with a diabolical plot like this to weaken his greatest rival by duping them.
I honestly feel as though Durant will use these meetings to be pampered and as a reconnaissance mission for free agency in 2017 after he decides to sign a two-year extension with the Thunder and opt out after the 2016-17 season in order to cash in even more next summer.
Part of me hopes this scenario happens though just for the pure entertainment value and intrigue when these two teams meet next season. You know what they say keep your friends close and your enemies closer…
