© Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
The stories surrounding Kevin Durant’s impending free agency continue to swirl. According to Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher, Durant’s right Achilles tear has pushed both the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers away from a potential pursuit of him, as both teams prioritize building on their playoff success in the immediate future. Bucher also reported that Durant has met with Kyrie Irving twice in recent weeks and is “pissed off” by the way the Warriors handled his injury.
While the report is an indication of just how severe Achilles injuries are, neither the Clippers nor the 76ers were ever reported to be frontrunners in the Durant sweepstakes. Ultimately, Durant is near-certain to either re-sign with the Golden State Warriors on a five-year, $210 million supermax contract, or sign with one of the two New York teams – the Knicks or Brooklyn Nets – on a four-year, $164.6 million max offer.
The most recent odds have Durant favored to sign with the Nets, with the Warriors close behind, and the Knicks following them. The NBA’s free agency period does not officially begin until June 30 at 6 p.m. ET, a six-hour bump up from the previous window start at July 30, midnight, ET.