One reason Kevin Durant should consider every NBA team

May 30, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan (left) instructs forward Kevin Durant (35) during the fourth quarter in game seven of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Thunder 96-88. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

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Dec 19, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) drives to the basket agains tLos Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Brown (3) during the third quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

Los Angeles Lakers – The flagship franchise

Because of the market in which they play and the history they have built, the Los Angeles Lakers are the NBA’s flagship franchise. There are, of course, other contenders for this honor (most notably the Boston Celtics) but when it comes to free agency, no organization has been able to attract top-tier talent at the rate of the Lakers and that matters.

In terms of their proximity to winning, the Lakers aren’t in the best shape. Los Angeles does have some nice young talent headlined by D’Angelo Russell, but not even the presence of Durant would make this a title contender. However, his arrival would open the door for additional player movement, as everyone enjoys playing with an elite player in the mold of Durant.

The big argument, though, is location based. Los Angeles is the number one home of NBA players in the off-season and the combination of weather and market size is highly appealing to everyone. Durant may prioritize basketball at a higher level than some other NBA stars, but Los Angeles seems to suck players in and he may not be immune.

Until they actually land one of these elite players, the Lakers will be in the discussion for every single one of them, and that includes Kevin Durant.

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