NBA Rumors: Kevin Durant’s Odds Of Staying With Warriors Improving, Biographer Says

The Golden State Warriors are locking in a 2-2 series with the Houston Rockets in the second round of the NBA playoffs, but speculation is still running rampant over where the Warriors’ two star free agents, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, will end up this summer.

While many NBA observers predict Durant will leave the Bay Area to sign with the New York Knicks, one expert isn’t so sure — the author of a new biography of Durant.

Marcus Thompson II, the author of the upcoming biography KD: Kevin Durant’s Relentless Pursuit To Be The Greatest, told The New York Post this week that he senses the Warriors’ chances of keeping Durant have improved.

“I feel stronger about the Bay Area than at the time,” Thompson told the newspaper. “It underscores the nature of him. He’s trying to figure it out. At the end of the day, he has to sit down in front of people so they can paint the picture of the Knicks. I do feel like the picture the Warriors will paint is a pretty good one.”

Thompson added that the Knicks have a “real shot,” but also said that Durant’s “vacillating” nature indicates that he’s unlikely to have already made a decision about his next free agent destination.

The book by Thompson, who has covered sports in the Bay Area for 20 years, comes out May 14. It’s described on Amazon as a look at Durant’s entire life and career, including his upbringing in Washington, D.C., his early career with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and his decision to jump three years ago to the Warriors.

Thompson also told the newspaper that Durant is sensitive to what others think, and his “thin skin” could be an issue in the intense media environment of New York.

If Kevin Durant decides to leave the GSW after this season, will the Warriors still be a top 3 team in the WEST? I say absolutely "NOT". Kevin Durant came to this team and stepped up big in crucial games during both championship series. His 2x Finals MVP speaks for itself. pic.twitter.com/6MvxuKSx4J

— Sports Blog By Connor (@WhySoTallConnor) May 8, 2019

He also speculates in the book that Durant could choose the Los Angeles Clippers, based on the idea that the team, owned by former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, could eventually move to Seattle. Durant played his rookie year in Seattle, with the SuperSonics, before the franchise moved to Oklahoma City, and considers the city a “special” place.

It’s unclear to what degree Durant cooperated with the book, but as a beat reporter Thompson has presumably had access to the player throughout his time with Golden State.

The Warriors and Rockets are playing Game 5 Wednesday night, with the winner going up 3 games to 2.

The NBA free agency season begins July 1.