Durant To Join Knicks Or Stay With Warriors? NBA Legends Impart Advice

Kevin Durant will be a free agent once the 2018-19 season comes to a conclusion and much of the discussion in the NBA this campaign has been about whether he will stay with the Golden State Warriors or leave the sport’s most dominant franchise at the moment to join another team and build on his legacy.

The small forward can sign with the team of his choice when he opts out of the deal he signed with the Warriors last summer and Durant is not short of suitors. There are a number of teams interested in signing him with the Los Angeles Lakers said to be big admirers.

Durant is yet to indicate his preference ahead of next season but indicated that he is keen on earning the maximum possible and play good basketball. The Warriors can offer him $221 million over five-years next season, while other franchises can offer him $164 million over four years.

The 30-year-old has helped the Warriors win back-to-back NBA championships and on the way picked up the NBA Finals MVP on both occasions. He is part of a team that is being hailed one of the best ever in the history of the sport and they are again favored to win the title in 2019.

The speculation with regards to Durant’s future has been constant with many experts suggesting that he will leave, while an equal number are confident that he will stay in San Francisco.

He is now getting advice from NBA legends with one urging him to consider a move to New York to the Knicks, who are said to have made strides in their hopes of landing one of NBA’s top talents. While the other is of the view that he should stay with the Warriors and become one of the greatest of all time.

“If I was a youngster, Madison Avenue would be turning into Shaq Avenue, Shaquille O’Neal said about Durant’s links to the Knicks, as quoted by the Express. “People always talk about business and business after basketball.”

“Knicks don't have a star player, so any superstar that comes there, Madison Avenue is going to open up the doors for them,” he added.

Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce, meanwhile, believes Durant should stay with his current employers and be part of their dominant years. He also feels Steve Kerr will struggle in keeping the current squad together with a number of players entering free agency in the summer.

Apart from Durant, shooting guard Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and DeMarcus Cousins will also enter free agency and all the players will have a long list of suitors.

However, they could all remain with the Warriors, who are overwhelming favorites to win their third straight title this season. And Pierce is certain that they will continue their dominance in the years to come if all players remain in San Francisco.

I don't know man, it will be tough (to keep hold of the current players),” Pierce exclusively told Express Sport. “These guys have won a lot of games together and have been together for a few years now.”

“They do have Kevin Durant coming up, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and even Boogie Cousins, he will be a free agent. They have got a lot of decisions they are going to have to make this summer if they want to keep this team.

He is just adding the icing on the cake now,” he added. “He is one of the greatest players already. He has got two Championships, two MVPs.”

“If I was him I wouldn't leave, because he has got a chance of being one of the greatest by winning more Championships. It is a tough decision, it depends on what these players value these days.”