Kevin Durant chooses Warriors over Thunder, Celtics
The seven-time All-Star will join forces with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in Golden State
Kevin Durant announced on the Players Tribune website Monday morning that he will sign with the Golden State Warriors for the 2016-17 season.
Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports Durant’s contract will be a two-year deal worth $54.3 million with a player option after the year one.
The 6-foot-9 forward chose the Warriors over five other teams (Celtics, Heat, Thunder, Spurs, Clippers) after a weekend full of pitches in the Hamptons on Long Island in New York. Tom Brady, David Ortiz and Julian Edelman were just some Boston athletes who actively recruited Durant to join the Celtics. Boston was believed to be garnering consideration by Durant up until his decision, especially after the team added free agent center Al Horford on Saturday.
Golden State won a regular season record 73 games last season, and adding Durant to the mix will make them heavy championship favorites for the next season. The 27-year-old spent the first nine seasons of his career in Oklahoma City and wrote a heartfelt message to the fans in that city as part of his Players Tribune post.
I will miss Oklahoma City, and the role I have had in building this remarkable team. I will forever cherish the relationships within the organization — the friends and teammates that I went to war with on the court for nine years, and all the fans and people of the community. They have always had my back unconditionally, and I cannot be more grateful for what they have meant to my family and to me.
Durant averaged 27.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists over nine years with the Thunder.
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