Kevin Durant is in the final year of his contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder and is set to become one of the biggest unrestricted free agents in NBA history. Almost every team wants Durant and many teams think that they have a legitimate shot at him, but it remains to be seen whether they actually do. It has been assumed all along that Durant would sign a long-term deal with whichever team he decides to sign with, but now it seems as though a one-year deal is becoming a more realistic possibility, according to Anthony Slater of the Oklahoman.
The NBA's salary cap is set to rise after this season and will likely approach $90 million, which means that max contracts will also rise. After next season, though, the cap is expected to rise again to more than $100 million, so Durant's thought process might be to play on a one-year deal and then go for the long-term contract when the salary cap hits its peak.
This idea never seemed like a real possibility for Durant until recently, but now the idea of Durant signing a one-year deal has reportedly "gained traction." This is the same type of thing LeBron James has been doing for the last several years, as it is a way to ensure that he maximizes the amount of money he will make over the next few years. LeBron reportedly won't sign a long-term deal until 2017 as well, so the thought process isn't a bad one for Durant.
Taking a one-year deal does not come without risk, though, as it does not give long-term security, and unlike LeBron, Durant has had injury issues. Last season, Durant had multiple surgeries on his foot, which limited him to just 27 games. Durant seems to be past the foot issues this season, but who knows if, or when, they may pop up again, so if he does take just a one-year deal, it is possible that it could hurt him financially in the long-term.
Regardless of what Durant chooses to do, he is almost certain to be getting a nice pay day whether he takes the long-term deal this summer or next summer. Durant is still just 27 years old and is one of the top players in the league, so he will certainly be coveted. Where Durant might sign isn't the only question anymore, though, now we have to wonder how long he will sign for. Should he play on a one-year deal next season, Durant will enter free agency in 2017 at the same time as teammate Russell Westbrook.
