NBA
notebook: Durant opts out, to stay with Warriors
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[June 27, 2018]
Kevin Durant is opting out of
the two-year, $51 million deal he signed with Golden State last
summer but has no intention of leaving the Warriors. ESPN reported
Tuesday that Durant informed the Warriors of his decision.
By opting out, Durant could sign a four-year max contract for about
$158 million.
Ownership has already committed to making a pact Durant approves of
for next season and beyond, and in the euphoria of claiming another
NBA title, Warriors general manager Bob Myers made inference to a
blank check offer from the Warriors.
"Sometimes you don't negotiate," Myers said. "I'd love to have him
for 10 years. Kevin Durant, look what he did for us last year, he
did us a great service (taking less than a max offer). He's earned
the right to sign whatever deal he wants."
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--Magic Johnson is confident he and the Los Angeles Lakers will lure
big-name free agents to join the team, but he also isn't putting all
of his eggs in this summer's basket.
When asked by reporters if it will be a failure if the Lakers don't
sign a star like LeBron James or Paul George next month, Johnson
responded, "No, because I told you this is two summers."
Johnson, who was named president of basketball operations in March
of 2017, later added, "Next summer if nobody comes and I'm still
sitting here like this, then it's a failure. But if you judge us on
one summer, that's ridiculous. Then a lot of dudes shouldn't be in
their roles. Because if we're banking on one summer for the Lakers,
we're in trouble."
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Warriors forward Kevin Durant interacts with fans during the
Warriors 2018 championship victory parade in downtown Oakland.
Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
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--The Los Angeles Clippers are trading point guard Austin Rivers to
the Washington Wizards in exchange for center Marcin Gortat,
according to a report from ESPN.
Rivers, the son of Clippers coach Doc Rivers, is coming off a career
year after taking over as the team's primary point guard following
the trade of Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets. The 25-year-old
averaged 15.1 points and 4.0 assists in 61 games (59 starts),
missing the entire month of January with a right Achilles tendon
injury.
Austin Rivers will make $12.65 million next season if he exercises
his player option as expected. Gortat will make roughly $13.5
million next season on the final year of his current deal. The
34-year-old big man averaged 8.4 points and 7.6 rebounds in 82 games
last season.
--Field Level Media
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