The Oklahoma City Thunder have Kevin Durant as a free agent in 2016 and teams like the Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, Golden State Warriors and NY Knicks all will be interested in signing him if he considers leaving OKC and this comes as the team may trade in the draft to try and get Cameron Payne, as they need a solid backup for point guard Russell Westbrook.
Durant is going to be the main target in free agency next summer and already the media has speculated he could leave Oklahoma City. According to NBC Sports, the most likely team to go after Durant is the Washington Wizards, while the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks are also planning to chase. The Thunder obviously want to keep Durant, but there is a chance he could get too expensive for the small market team, especially with Russell Westbrook needing to get paid in the future as well.
According to CBS Sports, the Miami Heat plan on going after Durant in 2016 and that is why the team is going through a contract dispute with Dwyane Wade. The Miami Herald reports that the team wants Wade to take a below market deal so the team avoids "limited financial flexibility" in the future. The Heat have some major contracts to deal with, as they are trying to keep Goran Dragic and they also have Hassan Whiteside's contract in the future.
Chad Ford at ESPN writes that Thunder may look at Cameron Payne as a draft option, as the team needs a new backup for Russell Westbrook. Oklahoma City traded Reggie Jackson this season and now they could look at Payne as an option to come in behind Westbrook. Ford writes that there is "buzz" that the Thunder have "promised" Payne that they will take him if he is available with the number 14 pick in the draft. Ford writes that the team also could consider trading up for Payne.
Durant is making $20 million this season and could end up as the highest paid player in basketball in the future, while Westbrook is set to make over $16 million and $17 million in the next two seasons before he is due a new deal. While that doesn't mean the Thunder won't try and keep Durant moving forward, it could make things complicated for Oklahoma City with Westbrook still needing to get paid. There has always been an underlying vibe on OKC that Westbrook may want to be the alpha dog and that scenario could play out if Durant entertains offers in free agency.
Durant is not James Harden, but Harden proved he is an MVP type player and with Durant already having won one, it wouldn't be the first time the team let someone go over money. The Thunder basically gave up a chance to win the finals by dealing Harden, as he may have been that missing piece they needed to go all the way. There are no guarantees in the NBA and that may not have happened had the team kept Harden, but they surely would have been better off with him on the roster.
