Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant, who becomes a free agent in 2016, reportedly would consider signing with the New York Knicks in part because of his friendship with Carmelo Anthony. Although most people consider Oklahoma City to be the frontrunner to re-sign Durant, a report on Thursday indicated Durant has issues with Thunder teammates Russell Westbrook and Reggie Jackson.
Although Durant tries his best to dodge it, all eyes are on him and where he'll decide to play in 2016. Oklahoma City has been considered the frontrunner to land Durant in 2016, with the Washington Wizards a close - or not so close - second. According to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, though, there's a third team with a legitimate chance of signing Durant: the Knicks.
"No question about it," a person close to Durant told the Daily News. "Kevin loves Carmelo. It could work in New York. But never rule out the Thunder."
New York is bound for the draft lottery this season, but things could turn around quickly for them by the summer of 2016. Anthony is locked down for the foreseeable future, and Knicks president Phil Jackson has been working to clear cap space for this summer and the next.
If New York were to land a top pick in the draft this year and select somebody like Duke's Jahlil Okafor, and if Jackson could sign one or two talented free agents in July while maintaining financial flexibility for 2016, the Knicks could look radically different by the time Durant hits free agency.
Helping matters for New York - and any other team pursuing Durant - is the part of Isola's report that claims Durant has issues with Westbrook and Jackson, the latter of whom has been linked to New York in trade rumors.
"The Knicks have expressed interest in Jackson, but for what it's worth, the word coming out of the Thunder locker room is that Durant is not a big fan of the free-agent-to-be guard," Isola wrote Thursday. "And depending on whom you talk to, there are also whispers that Durant is growing increasingly frustrated with Westbrook, one of the league's most dynamic players and whose style is shoot first, ask questions later."
Isola speculated the Thunder will essentially have 18 months to put themselves in a winning position, which includes choosing to continue to build around Durant and Westbrook or trading the point guard for a player "more to Durant's liking."
In fairness, Durant and Westbrook appear to be close friends, and Durant has publicly praised Westbrook's style of play before. A report from Basketball Insiders' Alex Kennedy, though, did claim there were some locker room issues between Jackson and at least several unnamed teammates.
