Kevin Durant To Leave Warriors In 2019? That's The Vibe: Thompson

Will he go or will he stay? This is the question when it comes to Kevin Durant’s future and it has been an ongoing debate since he signed the 1+1 deal with the Golden State Warriors earlier this summer.

The Golden State Warriors small forward entered free agency this summer after winning his second straight NBA title and as promised, he promptly re-signed with the reigning back-to-back champions.

The Bay Area team were willing to offer him any deal of his choice and were hoping for something long-term, but Durant chose to sign a two-year deal with a player option in 2019. He is certain to enter free agency again in 2019 and speculation is rife this will be his last season at the Oracle Arena.

Durant made it clear that a short-term deal was the best choice for him as it gave him more control over his future and that has given rise to speculation that he could leave at the end of the season. The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson II says the Warriors are bracing for his exit and that feeling is said to be getting “stronger” as time passes.

“I’ve talked to people in the franchise about this. Not for this piece but just through various conversations,” Thompson said, according to Yahoo Sports. “Some I’ve sought out, some have sought out me. All of them have the same kind of undercurrent: we hope he stays, but wouldn’t be surprised if he leaves.”

“The same franchise that was willing to dump everything to get him is now unofficially bracing for his departure. There is a vibe. There is a sense of ‘this is possible so let’s be mentally ready’,” he added. “Of course, that makes sense. Who wants to get their hopes up to be crushed? But the hunches and guesses that Durant might leave seem stronger now than they’ve ever been.”

Durant has remained silent with regard to his future and his teammates Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are certain that it will not affect the team when the 2018-19 season gets underway next week. The Warriors still remain the favorites to win their third straight title.

The 30-year-old small forward has been heavily linked with a move to the Los Angeles Lakers to join LeBron James. The two are good friends off the court and have been spotted together a number of times during the off-season.

Durant, however, recently made it clear James has not made contact about joining him at the Staples Center next season. Another team that is said to be in the running is the New York Knicks.

The Knicks will also have enough cap space next season to sign a big free agent and are said to have made Durant their main target. But at the end of the day, it is still October and it unlikely that the Warriors star will give any indication about his plans until next summer.