Odds Shift After Kevin Durant’s Decision to Stay in Brooklyn
On Wednesday, the Brooklyn Nets made their presentation to free agent Kevin Durant in an attempt to lure him away from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Durant was reportedly very impressed with what he saw and left the meeting feeling optimistic about his future in Brooklyn; despite this, he made the surprising decision to stick with Oklahoma City and sign with the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.
Many people were shocked by this news, not just because of how surprising the final decision was, but also because of how quickly it happened; while rumors of Durant choosing Brooklyn had persisted all week, they really became public knowledge only one day before his final decision was announced.
Key Takeaways
Durant was one of the most coveted free agents on the market, and his decision to stay with the Nets causes a huge shift in NBA futures. The Warriors would have been title contenders had they landed him, but now they’re left looking for a new big-name player. Durant also has a close connection with Kyrie Irving after meeting at Duke University as a college freshman; Irving expressed interest in playing with Durant again. Meanwhile, the Lakers will be looking for a superstar to replace Anthony Davis after he signed with Boston.
Durant’s decision also leaves a large void in Brooklyn, which signed him to a $175 million contract with hopes of becoming a title contender next season. The Nets reached out to other free agents, such as Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving, but came away empty-handed.
Meanwhile, speculation is rampant that James Harden will join forces with Kyrie Irving after he was traded by Houston along with Chris Paul to Dallas in exchange for Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis; both Davis and Porzingis are expected to be moved elsewhere before next season starts. The Lakers will look into landing Carmelo Anthony or Paul George after they became free agents. As for New York Knicks star player Jeremy Lin, he has been receiving interest from several NBA teams.
What Experts are Saying
One of the biggest decisions for any NBA player is where to play. In a league with such talent and so many good teams, it can be difficult for any player to decide where they want to go. It looks like Brooklyn has a good shot at keeping their star, though. Kevin Durant has decided not to leave the team, and he will be staying with them through the 2019 season.
This recent decision shocked many people- especially those who were betting on what team he would go play for next year- as his odds were already set at around 50%. Some experts predict that there is still a chance that he could change his mind before next year starts, but it seems that most people are confident that this was his final decision.
Odds were already set as of July 2nd, but a lot can change in a year. With less than three months until his final decision comes up, it is clear that he has made up his mind and won’t be leaving for any other team. The main argument from those who thought that he would stay had been that he was just ‘too good for his current team. It will certainly be interesting to see where else he goes during his long and illustrious career.
The Odds Before Durant’s Decision
While the odds of Durant leaving Brooklyn were sitting at -125, the odds of him staying have skyrocketed. With the decision made, it’s now sitting at +135. The decision is a game-changer for a number of reasons. First, it leaves LeBron James with one less top-tier free agent to choose from this summer.
Second, teams that are competing for a championship are no longer able to sign an all-star caliber player who would also be able to take over as team captain and leader if need be. Finally, it also has implications on college basketball recruiting because elite athletes will no longer want to go pro straight out of high school if they feel that they’re not ready for the NBA yet.
The Impact of His Decision
Kevin Durant shocked the NBA world on Saturday when he announced his decision to stay with the Brooklyn Nets. The odds of him staying had gone from 2/5 odds before his announcement to 10/11 odds after, according to ESPN.
Kevin Durant is staying with the Nets and will be a free agent next summer, tweeted SportsCenter, which also reported that Durant has agreed to a 4-year deal worth $164 million. He will be joined by Kyrie Irving, who earlier this week requested a trade from the Boston Celtics and was traded for All-Star point guard D’Angelo Russell.
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