:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61626269/1040550748.jpg.0.jpg)
Kevin Durant is no stranger to free agency, and the drama that it can hold. The superstar famously left the Oklahoma City Thunder in the summer of 2016, and opted to join the Golden State Warriors. The decision drew criticism and ire from fans and players all over.
Then, last season, in his second year with the club, he faced constant questions about what he would do over the summer. Now, with his third year in Oakland about to start, and another bout with free agency on the immediate horizon, Durant is gearing up for more of the same. And his plan? To be true to himself.
“I just try to be as honest as I can. I’m not going to tell people what I’m thinking,” Durant said in an interview with ESPN. “Some days I think about my free agency, some days I don’t. Some days I think about what my future looks like, some days I don’t. ... So I know the questions are going to come. I know a lot of people are going to speculate and print rumors and sources, but nobody’s heard from me about anything, so it’s just all speculation at this point.”
His free agency will undoubtedly make a lot of headlines. Last season, when asked about his future plans, Durant made it very clear that he would be re-signing with the Warriors. But this year we should expect that he’ll be a little bit more receptive to other decisions. And with that in mind, he’ll likely be noncommittal in interviews, which will invariably stir the rumors and speculation.
But for now, Durant is happy in the Bay Area, where he’s won a title and a Finals MVP in both of his seasons. Asked what he’ll look for in free agency, Durant replied, “It’s just where I want to play ball at, where I’m most comfortable, where I feel most at home, and I feel at home here. I feel like I belong here. I feel like I mix with this team, I mesh with this team well.”
Those signs would certainly point towards the Warriors being the favorites in the summer of 2019. But it’s far from a sure thing. “I really don’t know what’s going to happen this summer,” Durant said. “But I really, really feel like a part of this team.”