NBA trade rumors and other news topics are in full swing, and some experts believe that Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant could be on the move to the Golden State Warriors in the offseason. Could this be the next NBA team full of superstars? While this is nothing more than speculation on the part of Chris Broussard of ESPN , it is interesting to think about. After all, the NBA is a league of stars, and recent history has shown that the best players all want to be on the same team. NBC Sports was the first to break the news regarding the possibility of Durant to the Warriors.
Rumor: Kevin Durant could sign with Warriors https://t.co/rxIAffH0JG pic.twitter.com/lzuMaQa2TK
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) January 2, 2016
According to NBC Sports , the Warriors have put themselves in a great position to sign an expensive free agent in the offseason. Instead of extending the contracts on certain role players, they are looking to get another star to team up with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. While this may mean each player will have to take less shots, it would make for an extremely difficult offense to guard. All of these players can score from anywhere on the court, and Durant would add a new dynamic to the already explosive Warriors. Here is what Broussard had to say about the possibility of it actually happening.
“At this point, everything is speculation. When you talk to some executives, a name that has been thrown will shock people—Golden State…. Now, this is not something coming out [of] Durant’s camp…. There are those around the league that think Golden State is a possibility.”
Whether or not this actually has a chance of happening remains to be seen, but it would make a great team even better. Durant has not yet won a championship for the Thunder, and fans around the league could give him the “LeBron treatment” if he leaves early. While the circumstances are slightly different since LeBron James is actually from the Cleveland area, Thunder fans would not be pleased if Durant leaves. The issue is currently being discussed on Twitter, and most believe that he will be spared the amount of criticism that LeBron had to endure. In addition to leaving early, LeBron also dragged the situation on, and even held a television special to announce that he would sign with the Miami Heat, which he later regretted.
Would Kevin Durant receive same criticism LeBron received for creating a super team? pic.twitter.com/wPnpXJ5WeO
— SportsBlogNewYork (@SportBlogNYC) January 1, 2016
While Durant would absolutely improve the already stacked Golden State Warriors, he has had his share of star teammates in the past. In addition to currently playing with Russell Westbrook, he also previously played with three-time NBA All-Star James Harden. While he is still young, the 27-year-old still has not won a championship, and certain fans and analysts are questioning if he is even the top player on his own team. Despite Durant being known as the star of the Thunder, it seems like Westbrook is always taking the big shots, which has caused controversy over whether he needs to demand the ball more.
Last month, Durant spoke to the Oklahoman about his relationship with Westbrook.
“There’s times where me and Russell didn’t talk. There’s times we come into the practice facility and I want to fight him and there’s times where he wants to fight me. That’s dealing with someone more than your family. You’re going to have those days. But I know I’m gonna go to war for him in front of anybody.”
On the surface, it appears as though Durant and Westbrook have a brotherly relationship, where they will often fight, but have each other’s backs at the end of the day. While they have had tremendous success in the regular season, they still have not won a championship, and many people wonder if it will ever happen on the Thunder. For that reason, Chris Broussard and other NBA executives believe that Durant could decide to sign with the Golden State Warriors in the offseason.
Other NBA Trade Rumors and News This Week
While it remains to be seen if Kevin Durant will sign with the Golden State Warriors in the offseason, here are a few other NBA Trade rumors from the past week, as reported by the Inquisitr .
- Dwight Howard to the New York Knicks
- Rockets, Nets, and Pelicans Three-Team Trade
- Brandon Jennings to the New York Knicks
[Photo by Harry How/Getty Images]