Kevin Durant in Brooklyn?

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The 2016 free agent class is going to be filled with some really good players and it will be lead by Kevin Durant. Kevin Durant will be looking for a max contract, but only so many teams will be able to offer that to him. Everyone says that the Thunder and the Wizards are the two top destinations for Durant. In all honesty it is hard to see him leaving the Thunder, but with the way management has handled certain situations in the past it wouldn't surprise me if he had enough with the Thunder. Even all the way back when he was a rookie there were some problems. He wasn't allowed to say anything about the situation that was unfolding in Seattle. I have a feeling that Clay Bennett wanted him to just keep his opinions to himself. Then in 2012 the team had a break out year going all the way to the finals. Considering the team was full of budding stars under 24 years old they had plenty of potential. Then the front office basically gave away a key piece to that team in James Harden. Durant was never satisfied with that decision. There's a lot behind that James Harden trade, but it all came down to the Thunder saving money, which seems to always be the problem. This summer was the first summer where the Thunder were willing to go into the luxury tax to keep a key component, but they fired Scott Brooks, who Durant always supported. 

The Wizards are the other top destination just due to the fact that Kevin Durant grew up in Washington D.C. area. The Wizards also offer a great supporting cast, but I don't think is as good as the Thunder's.

Deron William celebrating after hitting a 3
Photo Credit: fameimages

Now could the Nets swoop in and steal Kevin Durant? Considering everything above Durant could be in pursuit of a change in scenery. This summer the Nets bought out Deron Williams to get the team under the luxury tax. The Nets basically paid Deron Williams to go away. Most people would think this is a terrible thing for any team. Well in the end the Nets owe Deron Williams $5 million every year for the next five years and that $5 million will count against the cap. Where this move really begins to make sense is looking ahead to 2016. The Nets also resigned Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young to long term deals giving the Nets a foundation in the front court. Lopez signed a 3 year, $60 million deal and Thaddeus Young signed a 4 year $50 deal. So between Williams, Lopez, and Young's deals that will count for about $37.5 million of the Nets salary in 2016. Now if Lopez and Young got those deals and Williams was still on the team that salary together would have been closer to $55 million. So the Nets saved a lot of money with the Deron Williams buyout.

Here is where it gets interesting. So Joe Johnson contract stands at $25 million right now, but he will come off the books in 2016. This opens the door to multiple possibilities for the nets. They either let the contract expire and use that extra $25 million to sign Durant or they could even use it as a trading piece if the Thunder get nervous at the trade deadline and look to trade Durant for pieces. The Nets could even look to add another piece to there team in anticipation of signing Durant. An example would be a solid starting point guard. The point is in 2016 the Nets will have about $60 million against the salary cap including all player and team options. That leaves the Nets with $29 million in cap room. Now they could create even more cap room by trading for some expiring contracts this season and denying some team options. 

Jay Z sitting court side at Nets game

What would make Durant consider coming to Brooklyn? Well to start it off New York is considered the Mecca of basketball. Brooklyn is also a big market being in the city. Durant's agent is Jay Z, who happens to have ties with Brooklyn and is a Nets fan. Some people forget, but Jay Z was a partial owner of the Nets for some time and even influenced the current logo and color scheme for the team. And last, but not least, the Nets actually began to rebuild. The Nets drafted very smart in the last two drafts considering they didn't own their first round draft pick. They drafted players with a lot of potential and could step in as great roll players. With a foundation in the front court all the Nets have to do is look into improving the back court. 

Personally I think the Nets should try to make a trade this season for a solid starting point guard. Not to say Jack can not be that guy, but I think their are plenty of other point guards in the league that don't get enough playing time due to the point guard being over saturated with talent in the NBA. If the Nets can do that and put together a team Durant could win with then they might be able to convince him to go to Brooklyn. If that doesn't work their are plenty of other free agents the Nets could sign or they could even try to aim for stealing some of 2017's top free agents. For now the Nets need to find ways to win this season.