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In 23 months, Kevin Durant will be a free agent. The Wizards have been fairly transparent in their desire to woo Durant back home, keeping as many short contracts on the books as possible to maintain the possibility of cap space. The entire league will pursue Durant, including the Thunder, who have a pretty good situation themselves. The chances that Durant actually comes to D.C. are slim. Yada yada yada.
Still, LET THE GAMES BEGIN.
. @KDTrey5 on @KingJames decision to return to Cleveland "I thought it was well-thought out. It was classy."
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 29, 2014
KD on LBJ: "He thought about the city where he comes from, about Northeast Ohio & how he can affect so many of the kids just being there."
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) July 29, 2014
YES YES IT WAS VERY CLASSY. SO CLASSY THAT OTHERS SHOULD BE CLASSY IN A SIMILAR WAY IN TWO YEARS, RIGHT?
Durant added: "I’m not going to make a decision based on what anybody else does."
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) July 29, 2014
Durant on his own FA choice: "It’s hard to talk about that right now when I’ve got two years left in OKC. I’m just going to focus on that"
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 29, 2014
Whatever la la la la la la la can't hear you la la la la la la.
Durant on his hometown, DC, in 2 years : "I’m not going to sit here and act like I’m naïve to the fact that people think about that stuff"
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 29, 2014
KD on playing in DC: "Everybody is asking me about it. Every time I go on Instagram or Twitter, all my friends ask me about it."
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) July 29, 2014
YES DON'T BE NAIVE BEING NAIVE IS BAD AND NO WAY TO GO THROUGH LIFE.
KD on DC: "That whole city is a part of me. It’s in my blood. I love going back home, seeing my family & playing there but I love OKC, too."
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) July 29, 2014
What's that? I only heard this:
"That whole city is a part of me. It's in my blood. I love going back home, seeing my family & playing there."
But really, I only heard this:
"Playing there."
Yup. That settles it.
I can't wait to keep doing this for the next 23 months. Embrace the chase.
WHITE. RT @NBA: You rockin' with the White or Blue team? @NBATV Real Training Camp: @usabasketball at 3pm/et! pic.twitter.com/oxEMMQOMDv
— Bullets Forever (@BulletsForever) July 29, 2014
@BulletsForever pic.twitter.com/lEekJgvw9J
— Mimi (@MimiPh) July 29, 2014
UPDATE: Looks like John Wall had a few things to say as well, via USA Today.
"You just sit back and watch and see what happens, but (the Wizards' Durant-motivated moves) definitely lets him know that we want him around."
He's saying what the front office can't, and sounds like a man on board with their long-term strategy. Obviously it helps that they replaced Ariza in the short-term with a more than capable starter at a fraction of the cost, but future flexibility is the main selling point here.
And here's where All-Star appearances and playing for Team USA comes into play:
"He's like an older brother to me," Wall said. "He's happy to see the things I'm doing and what I'm doing for the city of DC, especially since that's where he's from. That's a big honor to me and an honor to him, so we enjoy it. We enjoy our conversations. We enjoy hanging out. We have our fun times."
...
"To be with one of the top two best players in the league, in my opinion, who can score at will and do whatever he wants (would be great)," Wall said. "You could have a Big Three with me, him and Brad (Beal), and I feel like that's what you need to win a championship now is a Big Three. It'd be great to have him back home."