Kevin Durant Wants 'Power' And 'Control' Over Warriors Future

Kevin Durant hinted his future may be away from the Golden State Warriors after the conclusion of the 2018-19 season after signing a 1+1 deal that gives him a player option with the reigning champions earlier in the month.

The small forward will have the option of becoming an unrestricted free agent again next summer when he can move to a team of his choosing — similar to what LeBron James did this summer when he quit the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Los Angeles Lakers on a four-year deal.

Durant also opted out of his deal with the Warriors this summer, but as promised during the NBA Finals, he re-signed with Steve Kerr’s side on a 1+1 deal. He made it clear he wants to have the “power” over his future and not tie himself down with a long-term deal.

The two-time NBA Finals MVP’s comments indicate he could be planning to leave the Warriors at the end of the upcoming campaign with a number of teams already making their moves to recruit him.

Durant recently said the short-term deal was perfect for him and reiterated that again by saying it was the right thing to do. He is not concerned about his future at the moment and revealed that he will take it “one day at a time.”

“Just felt like that was the right thing to do for me,” Durant said, when asked for the reason he only committed to a 1+1 deal with the team that was willing to offer him the contract of his choice, as quoted by the Express.

“Because we know our power, know our control, want to do what’s best for us, more so than anything,” the two-time NBA champion added. “I’m going to approach it like I always do. Get ready for camp, take it a day at a time.”

The 29-year-old was linked with a move to the New York Knicks next summer before talks about a potential move to the Lakers began. He was spotted with James in LA which fuelled talks that he could join the four-time MVP at the Staples Center in 2019.

James and Durant have mutual admiration for each other after the former praised the Warriors star during the 2018 NBA Finals, which the Bay Area team won beating the Cavaliers 4-1, while the latter recently praised James for making the move to Los Angeles.

Apart from the Knicks and the Lakers, it was recently suggested Durant could consider a return to the Oklahoma City Thunder if he was to leave the Warriors next summer. He spent nine seasons with the franchise before he moved to Oakland, California in 2016.

It is believed he still shares a good relationship with the Thunder hierarchy and that his feud with Russell Westbrook is on the mend.

Durant has endured a lot of criticism for his move from Oklahoma to California in 2016 and continues to do so. It could be redemption for the forward, who has proven that he carry his own weight with the Warriors despite being accused by some of joining Stephen Curry’s bandwagon.