NBA Rumors: Kevin Durant Still Heavily Favored To Join Knicks Over Warriors, Clippers, Nets, Lakers

New York Knicks’ fans might be feeling a little less confident about their chances to sign Kevin Durant in free agency. The whole season has been filled with rumors that the back-to-back NBA Finals MVP has been leaning toward going to the Big Apple, but the latest reports indicate that other destinations are very much in play.

The New York Times’ Marc Stein reported Tuesday that the Los Angeles Clippers are an “equally dangerous threat” to land Durant this summer. Stein has also heard that Durant will consider the Brooklyn Nets.

Golden State Warriors’ owner Joe Lacob told The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami Tuesday that he’s confident the organization will re-sign both Durant and Klay Thompson in the offseason.

All of that came out on the same day that Durant’s business manager, Rich Kleiman, told The Wall Street Journal that the superstar is completely undecided about his future.

Does this mean we should no longer expect the Knicks to sign Durant?

Despite the events of the last 24 hours, New York is still the odds-on favorite to sign Durant. The Knicks have better than even betting odds to ink the 30-year-old to a contract in July.

The Warriors have a little better than 2/1 odds to keep Durant, who can either opt-in to the final year of his current deal or sign a new max contract. The Clippers and Nets are both considered relative long shots for Durant with 5/1 odds and 6/1 odds, respectively.

The Los Angeles Lakers are given 13/2 odds to acquire Durant.

It’s certainly possible that Durant has changed his mind about his future. Watching LeBron James join the Lakers and miss the postseason could give him pause. Perhaps Durant’s mindset has changed now that he seems to finally be recognized as the best basketball player in the world.

The way Golden State finishes the playoffs could also influence his decision. The Warriors have been dominant without Durant, who is recovering from a calf injury and could conceivably watch from the bench as his teammates with a third straight championship.

But it’s hard to believe Durant hasn’t been eyeing the Knicks for quite some time. Too many NBA insiders have reported on the link between the 10-time All-Star and New York. It’s been much more than simple conjecture and speculation that Durant could end up playing his home games at Madison Square Garden.

The Clippers have to be viewed as a real possibility for Durant. Los Angeles has been planning to make a play for both Durant and Kawhi Leonard. That was before the team overachieved and won two games against the Warriors in the postseason.

L.A. offers Durant the chance to join a winning team that can add another impact player.

New York has enough room under the salary cap to sign Durant and another star. They didn’t come close to sharing the same success as the Clippers this past season, but they do offer the prospect of saving a historic franchise. Winning a title with the Knicks would improve Durant’s legacy in a way that getting a ring with any other team can’t match.

Kyrie Irving, one of Durant’s close friends, is reportedly considering the Knicks as a free agent. New York is one of the top suitors for Anthony Davis. The Knicks have plenty of avenues to build a title contender around Durant.

There has been far too much noise about the Knicks to make New York anything but a heavy favorite in the Kevin Durant Sweepstakes.