Durant’s Free Agency Is an Emotional and Economic Factor in Oklahoma City

May 09, 2016 · 30 comments
r (undefined)
Where is he going to go that has a better chance ??? He has one of the best guards in the league in Westbrook. The two centers are playing well in this series with San Antonio. Ibaka is a fine player. The other supporting cast is pretty good. The new coach seems to be getting the job done. So where ?? And who can afford him. This current team really hasn't had that much time together with injuries and all. I doubt he would ever come to the Knicks, and they need a guard not a forward. The Nets, forget it. Boston, why? Miami, I don't think so. Without injuries and maybe adding a very good shooting guard Oklahoma has an excellent chance at a title. This year they may still beat San Antonio and get to the Western Finals. Can they beat Golden State, I don't know. But this is Cleveland's year anyway.
Victor (Chicago)
It would be a major turnover at a critical juncture of the game for KD to move anywhere. KD is OKC and vice versa. No other team can match OKC's love for its super star and KD's personality is a perfect match for OKC's. This should be an easy long range jumper for KD to lock up the championship for OKC.
bob cat (Austin, TX)
Some towns run on bling and swagger. Loud City runs on love and hard work.
CGraves (Boston, MA)
SO anyonee but me excited for the Celtics to sign Durant this summer? (I wish), and yes, the Zombie Sonics should still be in Seattle, and never should have left!
lonesome1 (columbus)
Oklahoma is a backward state; most conservative in nation; get of Kevin.
John Oathout (Broken Arrow, OK)
People are forgetting something about Kevin Durant: He's a man of deep faith and appreciation for where he's been and where's he's going. To a certain extent, he's motivated differently than many other players and he shows that in what he says and what he does for the OKC community, owning up when he screws up, recognizing the importance of his teammates performance - and sticking up for them when necessary. On Cuban's remarks on Russel Westbrook not being a superstar, "He's an idiot..." ) Classic! (Guessing Kevin won't be headed to Dallas anytime soon.) Fame and fortune might spoil him yet or the relentless pursuit of every NBA's man dream of winning a ring may drive him in a different direction. When asked directly what his plans were? Kevin responded that he loved OKC and would love to retire his jersey there. That's a pretty strong statement from a player. I agree with the author though, I'm hopeful that whatever Kevin decides to do that the Character of Oklahoma shines through. Stay or go? I predict Kevin Durant will get a standing and extended ovation from millions of adoring OKC fans.
KO (Vancouver, Canada)
Here's hoping the Knicks look good to Kevin.
Melissa (Los Angeles)
I'm originally from OKC and though the city has changed and has much more to offer in terms of entertainment and culture than ever before, if you are a young athlete with lots of money and like Los Angeles enough to spend summers here, he is going to come to LA. It pains my Thunder loving parents so very much but he's outta there!
Edson (OKC)
There is literally no basis for this argument. And I wonder if you were talking Clippers bc there is no way that KD would go to the Lake Show with that abomination of a franchise (currently)...
Charles Michener (Cleveland, OH)
It should be remembered that Cleveland fans weren't angry that LeBron James left the Cavaliers for the Heat. They were angry at the way he left - the "Decision" on national TV, the "taking my talents to South Beach," the stringing along of the Cavs to the last minute, the triumphalism with Wade and Bosh in Miami. I'm sure Kevin Durant has learned from that episode, and in any case it's not in his nature to behave that way.
Kevin O'Reilly (MI)
Isn't it amazing how the four major sports leagues have manipulated the folks in cities all over the country?

Any city of any size over 250,000 now sees itself as a mere hick town if it doesn't have at least one major sports league franchise.

And fans all over the country simply refuse to believe that pro athletes are inherently businessmen at the end of the day (or contract).

This is all show biz folks! Our respective cities' self-images cannot be defined by how our pro sports teams and the athletic mercenaries handle their business decision.

Oklahoma City will survive with or without Kevin Durant. If the folks in OKC don't believe this, then it will not be Kevin Durant's fault. It will their's alone.
Donna Gray (Louisa, Va)
Seattle didn't want the team! Not in the way the matters! $$$$$$$$$ The same as the Jazz in New Orleans, the Dodgers in Brooklyn , etc!
charles (vermont)
In my personal opinion, Durant shows some qualities as a person not commonly seen in the NBA. However, will some other team be paying millions of dollars
for the work of Durants during the last nine years and will the next years of his career
equal the last nine years?
Agnostique (Europe)
If they were still in Seattle I would want them to win. It shouldn't matter - but it does.
Col Andes Dufranez USA Ret (Ocala)
Durant is going to Miami. Pat Riley is making him the marquee player there now that D Wade is too old. With Bosh and Whiteside plus Dragic it is a championship squad.
r (undefined)
Wade is too old ?? I guess you haven't been watching the Toronto series. He may be getting old. But he can take over a game and will his team to a win. He is still a big time player and one of the best of all time. Too old, not quite yet.
Jack (Fitchburg, MA)
This article mentions that Durant might go to an elite team--but OKC is showing in this series with the Spurs that, with Durant and Westbrook, they ARE one of the four elite teams in the NBA, or at least very close to it. The only thing stopping them from getting a championship is poor coaching. Perhaps Durant should stay in OKC but demand an elite coach.
Edson (OKC)
This is the coaches first year, and right now he has them tied with SA 2-2. I don't know what else he could have done at this point.
Jerry (Seattle)
OKC is not going to win a Championship during his starting days so if Durant wants a ring he needs to go someplace else fast. He's getting old in a young man's game. There is no loyalty in the NBA, players to teams (let alone the team's city) or teams to players. That's the business model David Stern got rich creating; how fitting for OKC.
David (New York)
The whole team, including Durant, was stolen from Seattle. I hope Durant leaves and the owner of the team goes bankrupt for his dishonest dealings with the (completely incompetent) Seattle city government.
edj (santa fe nm)
Let's see - he grew up in the DC area - any KD's there?
DSM (Westfield)
KD is a great player and appears to be an excellent human being as well. The Thunder, whose owners lied about intending to keep the team In Seattle to aid their purchase of it, are owed nothing by KD.

Without specific reference to Oklahoma City, is it often amusing that communities are offended when black athletes leave the community, despite the community enacting policies which hurt the black members of their community--voting rights restrictions; refusing Medicaid expansion; harsher sentences for drugs used by blacks than whites; insulting President Obama, etc.
Chris (NYC)
Considering the shady way they got the team from Seattle, it's kinda hard to feel compassionate for OKC.
mihusky (mercer island, wa)
Karma is a funny thing. Logic tells me that there is no connection between the way that Aubrey McClendon and Clay Bennett treated Seattle and the disasters that have befallen McClendon and the people of Oklahoma City. Losing Durant would be a seismic event for the team and the City.
Chris (U.S.)
So when Seattle wouldn't put up the money for an arena I guess that was OKC's fault? Enough with the OKC stole the Thunder argument Seattle didn't want to accommodate them and in turn lost their team.
Random Guy (New York)
I'm sick of rehashing this, but that's not how it went down. The team's owners bought the team; completely fabricated an arena "crisis" that could only be "solved" with a gleaming new arena that they knew was not possible; planned from Day One to move the team while telling the public they wanted to stay, if only they could resolve this "crisis"; did everything they could to antagonize the state and municipal governments while pretending to lobby for their arena; rejected all compromise offers, including alternative arena locations and private financing options; then finally moved the team to the city that just happened to be Clay Bennett's hometown, just like all their internal e-mails and Aubrey McClendon's comments said they intended to do.
Bob Garcia (Miami)
So how much money will it take to keep him with the Thunder?
S (MC)
This was Seattle's team, and should still be Seattle's team. No sympathy for the Thunder and their fans when Durant and Westbrook inevitably leave.
Edson (OKC)
Seattle Storm is an admirable replacement. LOL
Long Time Fan (Atlanta)
OKC will be challenged to keep Kevin Durant in town. He has several lucrative, attractive options with the potential to also win a championship.