NBA Rumors: Durant May Head To New York But Not Join Knicks

Rumors about where Kevin Durant may end up after this season continue to spread, but most believe it will be in New York. The Knicks are the hands-down choice to land the former NBA MVP, but the 30-year-old may want to look a bit further and check out the Brooklyn Nets.

One thing that Durant has been known for is joining winners. Looking at the rosters of the Knicks right now, Durant is just one piece. Although the names of Kyrie Irving has been mentioned to be joining him in Gotham, it remains that two NBA pillars may not be enough to turn things around for the wards of head coach David Fizdale. The Knicks will have to recruit more personnel if the Knicks are to at least target an NBA playoff seat next season.

There is no telling if Durant will place that under consideration. But when he left the Oklahoma City Thunder back in 2016, CBS Sports reported. Seeing how he was well-loved and covered in OKC, the only logical reason for his departure was that he wanted an NBA title. He got his share of criticism although this has hardly hampered his value to any team.

The Golden State Warriors added another gem in Durant and are on the verge of yet another NBA title. KD’s plans after the 2018-19 NBA season remains to be seen although there are some who believe that the Dubs will still try to keep him. If not, that is perhaps where all hell will break loose.

The Brooklyn Nets could be in play mainly because they already have young and proven stars in place. That includes Caris LeVert and D’Angelo Russell, two stars who have risen to the occasion for head coach Kenny Atkinson. They were not one of the teams expected to make it beyond the regular season wars but apparently, the Nets are headed in the right direction. So the only thing lacking right now is a star player. Durant could be that guy, USA Today reported.

The fact that the Nets made it to the playoffs without established stars is seen as one reason why top free agents may consider signing up with Brooklyn. Aside from Durant, other big names include Kawhi Leonard and Tobias Harris.

Atkinson has been rewarded for his feat and is due for a contract extension soon, Reuters reported. And all this could be made even sweeter if he gets a legitimate NBA star like Durant or Leonard.