#WILL WARRIORS GIVE KD MAX CONTRACT FREE#
NBA = $$$$$$ /nGpdNa2fhp- SportsCenter July 4, 2016ĭurant aside, the biggest story in the NBA over the last few days has involved the rise of the salary cap to $94.1m, which has given teams a lot more money to spend on what is a fairly weak free agent market. Pretty much every player fortunate enough to be a free agent this year But not until the next morning, where Durant made a mockery of anybody’s concerns that his decision would end up being anticlimactic. Then on Sunday, after roughly 75% of major free agents were already under new contracts, there came the announcement that Durant was going to make his decision. While teams were hurrying to announce new deals at a frenzied pace all weekend long, Durant was calmly taking in long meetings with various interested parties, including a sobbing Steve Ballmer and at least one NFL superstar/ideal gas law enthusiast. You have to give credit to Kevin Durant’s desire to go at his own pace. That just about edges the Warriors into the winners category. They’re essentially replacing Harrison Barnes, their weak point during the finals, with a guy who is either the second- or third-best player in the league. While it’s not entirely certain how the Warriors will make their new roster work, we’re guessing that Andrew Bogut is heading elsewhere (he has taken references to the Warriors off his Twitter profile). Like Sportscasting on Facebook.So, last year they pulled off the best regular season in NBA history and were a win away from their second straight championship. Ultimately, time will tell what the Warriors will do to keep their star point guard aboard. The latter is the more likely option, especially with their three core players (Curry, Thompson, Draymond Green) all in their early 30s. The Warriors must decide if they want to build with their youth or use it to acquire proven veteran talent. Wiseman sits atop the list while two top-14 picks in this year’s draft add another layer of intrigue.ĭepending on where their first-round pick from the Timberwolves lands, it alone could fetch a strong trade package. Golden State possesses a largely youthful group, which includes some potentially appealing trade pieces. Oubre performed better as the season rolled along, but his role will change significantly if he returns, likely involving him coming off the bench behind Klay Thompson.īeyond that, the Warriors must decide what direction they will head with the rest of the roster. The front office must make a pivotal decision ahead with Kelly Oubre Jr., who can become an unrestricted free agent this upcoming summer. Golden State aiming to build an NBA title contenderĪs Windhorst alluded to during his ESPN radio interview, the Warriors have other critical decisions to make. It may be a matter of seeing that game plan unfold again.
He already holds tremendous confidence that the front office can construct a championship-contending roster. The Warriors want to maximize that window, which could become the bargaining chip that secures Curry’s long-term commitment. The 32-year-old wants to compete for more NBA titles while he’s still playing at the top of his game. Keep in mind, head coach Steve Kerr admitted last month that Wiseman’s developmental timeline doesn’t line up with Curry’s, which suggests he could become a trade piece. Windhorst added that the real question lies with the franchise’s direction regarding James Wiseman and its two 2021 first-round draft picks (barring the Minnesota Timberwolves moving into the top three during the draft lottery and retaining their selection).
So do they come to him and try to appeal to him and say, “Hey can you take a little less than the max so we can try to build this team over the next four years?'” They got Andre Iguodala to maneuver his contract around. They got Kevin Durant to take a couple of years less than max contracts. In the past, the Warriors have been shrewd negotiators. “The question is are they going to offer him that max contract. The franchise has been extremely well-capitalized. “He’s beloved there and had great success there. “If he’s offered him the max, which is at $215 million extension for four years, I don’t see why he wouldn’t commit,” Windhorst said. During an interview on ESPN’s Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin radio show, longtime reporter Brian Windhorst stated that he couldn’t envision Curry turning down a four-year extension worth nearly $215 million. The Warriors are well aware of the big elephant in the room.Ĭurry‘s decision to wait another year places on the table the opportunity for him to become the first player to secure two different $200 million deals.