Kevin Durant Hints At Warriors Stay, San Francisco Mayor Makes A Pitch

Kevin Durant continues to hint at the possibility of committing his long-term future to the Golden State Warriors when he enters free agency in the summer of 2019, despite staying non-committal throughout all the speculation.

The small forward signed a short-term deal this summer, giving him the option of entering free agency yet again in 2019 and various reports seem to suggest the current season could be his last in Oakland.

Durant has won back-to-back titles since arriving in 2016, and despite many criticizing him for joining a winning team and becoming part of Stephen Curry’s bandwagon, he has held his own. He is the reigning back-to-back NBA Finals MVP and continues to play a key role for the franchise in its journey to achieve a three-peat.

The Warriors are playing their 47th and final season at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, and they will have a new home before the start of next season. Steve Kerr’s team are moving across the Bay Bridge to San Francisco with their new home being christened the Chase Center. Durant will be one player that will not be inconvenienced by the move, as he is the only Warriors player currently living in San Francisco. The condo he lives in is not far from where the new arena is currently being built.

The Warriors forward revealed his admiration for the city and said he likes the vibe of the place as it was relaxed despite “a lot going on”.

“I wanted to be in the big city and mix it up a little bit,” Durant told the Undefeated. “It’s close to the [Bay] Bridge and the practice facility and arena [in Oakland]. I wanted to try it out. I’ve never lived in a big city before by myself. I wanted to learn more about the flow of the city.”

“I just like the vibe,” the two-time NBA Finals MVP added. “It’s chill. Relaxing. There is not too much going on, but there is still a lot going on. People are pretty cool, open and diverse.”

“San Francisco is one of those cities that is always going to be booming. There is always going to be growth in the city. I guess you can call me a ‘millennial’ living there now. It puts a different perspective on life.”

Durant’s love for the city will certainly have Warriors fans dreaming, since all of them are keen to see the forward remain with the franchise in the long-term. The list includes San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who revealed she had made a pitch to Durant about committing his future to the Warriors next summer.

“Well, I’m not going to reveal all my persuasion tactics. But, yes,” Breed said. “I let him know how much we love him in San Francisco and how we all look forward to seeing him play here. He and the other players are all really good guys, and the community needs role models like them.”

Durant’s love for the city and its people is the second sign that could see him remain a Warrior. The first was when he said money was on his mind earlier in the season, indirectly referring to a number of players less accomplished than him higher up on the pay scale. The Warriors will be able to offer Durant a five-year max contract worth $221 million next summer, while any other interested franchise can only offer a four-year deal worth a maximum $164 million.