This is the best indication yet the Thunder believe they can re-sign Kevin Durant.
Ersan Ilyasova – acquired from the Magic in the Serge Ibaka trade – will make $8.4 million season unless he’s waived by July 1. If dropped by then, his salary is just $400,000 guaranteed.
Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman:
The Thunder will pick up Ersan Ilyasova's option, I'm told. Only $400K of $8.4 mil guaranteed until July 1st. But OKC likes him.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) June 24, 2016
If Durant re-signs, the Thunder wouldn’t have cap space anyway. All they’d accomplish by waiving Ilyasova is saving money and losing a useful role player (maybe their starting power forward).
If Durant leaves, Oklahoma City might want to free the extra cap space to pursue other free agents. (There’s a chance they’d keep Ilyasova, anyway. He’s not bad value at $8.4 million. But they’d probably prioritize wing help and someone better fit to play up-tempo with Russell Westbrook and Victor Oladipo.
Because the Thunder have to decide on Ilyasova before Durant likely makes his decision, they’re signaling how they feel about their odds of keeping Durant.
