Kevin Durant Rumors: Warriors 'Confident' About Him Staying

Despite rumors of a potential departure through free agency, the Golden State Warriors are confident Kevin Durant will remain with the team next year.

Durant could become an unrestricted free agent in 2019 due to the player option in his one-plus-one contract he signed earlier this summer, and rumors are rife he will leave the Bay Area in search of a new challenge, having won two championships and two NBA Finals MVP awards.

It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility that a potential third championship and third NBA Finals MVP award this season would be a fitting way for Durant to leave the Warriors and start a legacy at a new team.

NBA insider Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson reported last month Durant will join LeBron James at the Los Angeles Lakers next summer, where he will be the face of the franchise after the latter eventually leaves or retires.

Meanwhile, ESPN's Chris B. Haynes revealed last week the New York Knicks have a good chance of luring him to their team as well.

"I will say this. New York Knicks have a very good shot at luring KD away from the Bay Area," Haynes said. "The reason I say that is his business partner Rich Kleiman is based in New York, huge Knicks fan. Their business is located and based in New York. KD's dad is a big Knicks fan."

"The same allure that LeBron had towards the Los Angeles Lakers, just the building, the culture, is the same thing, same way I know that KD feels about the Knicks," he added.

Nothing is official yet though, and Durant could even remain with the Warriors by signing a new deal, especially as the franchise will be able to acquire his Bird rights next year and offer him a five-year, supermax deal.

And, according to Frank Isola of the Athletic, the reigning champions see Durant as a happy camper and are confident he will stay.

"The general feeling among Durant’s current teammates, coaches and front office staff is 'he’s as happy as I’ve ever seen him' and 'he’s in a great situation. He knows that,'" Isola wrote, as quoted on Clutch Points. "The Warriors organization, from top to bottom, is well aware that Durant may leave. But they’re also confident that he’ll stay."

After the Paul George saga which took place this summer that ultimately saw him re-sign with the Oklahoma City Thunder, nobody can be sure what Durant does, even if it does seem like he will be testing free agency next year.

The Maryland native revealed earlier this month he planned on being "transparent" about his eventual decision, especially after the backlash he received for joining the Warriors in 2016.

"I'm like, 'Man, there's so much attention on me because I switched teams,'" Durant explained. "I thought I did something wrong, but I knew deep down in my heart that was the perfect decision for me and I know that now I just got to stand on that, outwardly say it, and that will stop the speculation from a lot of people."

"... When they don't know, when people really don't know the end, the conclusion or why I did something, they're going to always speculate and create stories and clicks and that's only going to make me more upset. So I'd just rather keep it open and transparent with you."

Durant played 24 minutes as the Warriors lost to the Phoenix Suns in a 117-109 preseason defeat at Oracle Arena on Monday. He finished the game with 12 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.