The Golden State Warriors are not letting their superteam break apart without a fight. For one thing, they will re-sign Klay Thompson to a five-year, $191 million contract minutes after free agency opens on Sunday and he will take it (sources say other teams interested in Thompson have backed off any pursuit because they can read the writing on the wall).
The Warriors are also going to offer Kevin Durant a five-year, $221 million max contract — and they will have Stephen Curry in the room to help with the pitch.
Whether Durant is open to the idea of staying is another question, but the Warriors are going to try. That the Warriors were going to try to max out Durant has been an open secret in the NBA for a while, and Saturday Marc Stein of the New York Times talked about it.
All indications to date suggest the Warriors will present Kevin Durant with a five-year, $221 mil max offer when they get their chance. Can the Clippers -- even with two recruiters KD is known to admire: Jerry West and Steve Ballmer -- top that after the injury he just suffered?
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 29, 2019
The Warriors’ meeting with Kevin Durant will include a surprise guest in addition to president and general manager Bob Myers. Stephen Curry, according to multiple league sources, is heading to New York as well.
Curry, coming back from his Under Armour tour in Asia, is planning to stop and visit with Durant on the eve of Durant’s free-agent decision — with the official window for all teams to negotiate with free agents opening on Sunday at 3 p.m. PT.
Will that be enough? Does Durant want out from the shadow of Curry’s team to carve his own legacy? Is he mad at the Warriors about how his torn Achilles went down (people around him are)?
Durant also has been talking to Kawhi Leonard about teaming up on the Clippers or Knicks. Leonard has other options (the Lakers and a devastating superteam, returning to Toronto where he just won a title), and in a lot of ways Leonard is the kingmaker in this free agency. Durant also could team up with Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn.
There are a lot of options in front of Durant but do not completely rule out a return to the Bay Area. Durant loves investing in tech companies, he loves winning, and $221 million is a whole lot of money to walk away from (other teams can offer four-years, $164 million).