NBA Free Agency 2019: 5 potential destinations for Kevin Durant

4 of 6

LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 26: Lou Williams #23 of the LA Clippers is seen with Kevin Durant #35, and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors during Game Six of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. Los Angeles Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers may have the best free-agent pitch of any team this summer.

Despite sending leading scorer Tobias Harris to the Philadelphia 76ers at the trade deadline, the Clippers finished 48-34 and took two games off Durant’s Warriors in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. They have two of the three finalists for Sixth Man of the Year, Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, signed for $14 million combined in 2019-20, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Landry Shamet each earned second-team All-Rookie nods.

Kendrick Perkins, who spent nearly four years with Durant in Oklahoma City, believes the Clippers may pique his interest this summer.

“Don’t be surprised if KD signs with the Clippers,” Perkins told Kristine Leahy of FS1. “Everybody keeps screaming New York, but do not be surprised if KD signs and goes to play for Doc [Rivers]. … I don’t even have to help recruit him. He likes the organization, he likes Doc Rivers, he loves Doc Rivers. But me and KD don’t talk about it, he just happened to throw that out there.”

Marc Stein of the New York Times recently reported the Clippers “have emerged as an equally dangerous threat to the Knicks to sign Durant away from Golden State,” and it isn’t hard to see why. They have an excellent supporting cast in place, a championship-winning coach in Rivers, a stellar front office led by general manager Lawrence Frank and a passionate, outrageously rich owner in Steve Ballmer who likely won’t be fazed by luxury-tax payments down the road. (Durant should ask James Harden how valuable that is!)

The Clippers will enter the offseason with roughly $54 million in salary-cap space, and they could feasibly carve out a second max slot by salary-dumping Danilo Gallinari. If Durant is adamant about teaming up with Kyrie Irving this summer, why not join the core of a 48-win Clippers team rather than a 17-win Knicks team?

Home/NBA