NBA Free Agency: Kevin Durant's Brother Explains Cryptic Instagram Comment

Kevin Durant's brother Tony clarified his cryptic comment on Instagram that recently sparked free agency speculation.

Durant posted 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists as the Golden State Warriors got their 2018/19 NBA season off to a winning start with a 108-100 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.

Before the game, Durant and the rest of the Warriors received their championship rings with the 30-year-old posting on Instagram afterward with the caption, "1 down, 81 more. What a night!!"

This led to a comment from Tony which is what drew all the headlines.

The comment was understood by most to be Kevin adding one more potential ring to his resume before leaving the Bay Area in 2019 when he can become an unrestricted free agent.

Tony would later clarify things on Wednesday when media outlets and fans picked up on his comment, claiming he was referring to retirement rather than leaving the Warriors.

It's easy to see why people mistook his comment, assuming he meant things the way he explained.

Durant signed a one-plus-one deal earlier this summer and has been heavily linked with a move to the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks as a potential free agent next summer.

The general feeling is that he will be leaving, while NBA insider Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson claimed last month Durant would be joining the Lakers next summer.

ESPN's Chris B. Haynes added earlier this month that the Knicks, meanwhile, have a good chance of luring him to New York where he could be the face of the potentially rejuvenated franchise.

"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.

Durant himself has been open about the prospect of potential free agency, stating that he wanted to be transparent about his decision.

"I dealt with it before," Durant explained. "I just try to be as honest as I can. I'm not going to tell people what I'm thinking. ... Some days I think about my free agency, some days I don't. Some days I think about what my future looks like, some days I don't. I'm just human. That's just natural for me."

Interestingly, before the Thunder game, Durant was given his ring last which drew speculation from many that the Warriors were already trying to recruit him ahead of next summer, but he saw nothing to it.

"I mean, I don't know, what'd you think?" Durant responded when asked if there was any significance to it. "I mean you asked the question like you did...No."