Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant made comments recently that could suggest the Washington Wizards are the frontrunners to sign him as a free agent in 2016. Durant, a D.C. native, commended LeBron James on his decision to re-sign with his hometown and spoke about the positive affect James would have on the kids in Cleveland.
James may have started a new trend by making it "cool" to play for one's hometown team. The four-time MVP's decision to return to Cleveland left an impression on Durant, who openly applauded James on choosing the Cavaliers in free agency.
"I thought it was well-thought-out. It was classy. It was a great move to do it as a letter," Durant said Tuesday at Team USA's training camp, via ESPN. "That was pretty cool. It's funny seeing guys think about more than just basketball for once. He thought about the city where he comes from, about Northeast Ohio and how he can affect so many of the kids just being there playing basketball. I love that.
"So many guys get criticized for making the decision that's best for them instead of what's best for everybody else. He's a guy that did that. You gotta respect that. I applauded him, I texted him and told him congratulations on the decision and told him I was happy for him.
"As a fan of the game, it's going to be pretty cool to see him back in Cleveland."
Durant hails from Seat Pleasant, Md., a city outside of Washington. He still has close ties to the community, and he declined to rule out the possibility of following James's lead and signing with his hometown team when he becomes a free agent in 2016.
"I'm going to do what's best for me," Durant said. "It's hard to talk about that right now when I've got two years left in Oklahoma City. I'm just going to focus on that. I'm not going to make a decision based on what anybody else does.
"I grew up watching the Bullets/Wizards. I grew up taking the train to that arena, all the time, to watch Georgetown, the Bullets, the Washington Mystics. That whole city is a part of me. It's in my blood. I love going back home, seeing my family and playing there, but I love Oklahoma City, too."
ESPN's Stephen A. Smith reported earlier in July a source close to Durant as saying the reigning league MVP would strongly consider returning to D.C. if he were to leave the Thunder.
Washington, meanwhile, has helped their cause by becoming an increasingly appealing destination for free agents. The Wizards, led by their talented backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal, made it to the conference semifinals and have the pieces in place to remain a playoff contender.
Durant, though, would likely have to give Washington a hometown discount -- Nene's massive contract coming off the books in 2016 creates some flexibility, but the Wizards also need cap space to re-sign Beal, who becomes a restricted free agent that summer.
