Report: Kevin Durant to leave OKC if Thunder don't reach NBA Finals

[Legends66NBA7]

http://www.thescore.com/nba/news/973969

It may take an extremely deep playoff run from the Oklahoma City Thunder for four-time scoring champion Kevin Durant to remain with the franchise for at least one more season.

During an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio on Monday, Joel Meyers, the voice of the New Orleans Pelicans, discussed the possibility of Durant leaving the Thunder when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.

"I made some calls over the weekend. If they don't, I'm told if they don't at least get to the NBA Finals, Durant's gone," Meyers said, as transcribed by the Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry. "Simple as that."

The reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors have previously been reported as "significant front-runners" to acquire Durant, however, the chances of the seven-time All-Star aligning with Stephen Curry aren't as strong as some may believe, according to Meyers' sources.

"So everybody's talking about Golden State. There may be other teams coming into the equation for Kevin Durant," Meyers said. "He's the principle. He's going to be the guy. So from what I've been told, it may not be Golden State after all.

"Everybody thought it was, like, 'Well, maybe he can slide in there, and they won't match whoever makes an offer to Harrison Barnes. So it frees up that cap space that they would have given to Harrison Barnes.' But the calls I took, and some of the people I talked to over the weekend being in the building, it's not such a deadlock."

The Thunder have struggled to put wins on the board since returning from the All-Star break, going 3-6 since Feb. 19 - including losses to the Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers where OKC led entering the fourth quarter.

Even with their recent shortcomings, the Thunder (43-20) remain locked in as the third seed, with a two-game lead over the Clippers.

Durant is currently ranked third in the NBA in scoring at 28.1 points per game, shooting 50.7 from the field and 39.1 percent from 3-point range.

[Nilocon165]

What a bitch. And he was one of my favorite players.

[MEB2kDeez]

Wouldn't be surprised, honestly.

[Sarcastic]

Water is wet. Sky is blue.

[Overdrive]

So a representative of a different team knows how KD feels inside?

[Fallen Angel]

March 9, 2016.

We're making this accusation on March 9, 2016...

[AirTupac]

So a representative of a different team knows how KD feels inside?

He has been around for decades and is a good source. Ya mad?

[MJistheGOAT]

Captain obvious. He is tired of wasting his prime in this low BBIQ, awful coaches, cheap FO and chucker partner team.

The interesting question is where could he go??

Boston? GSW? Blazers? Wizards?

[Overdrive]

He has been around for decades and is a good source. Ya mad?

No, I don't care where Kevin Durant plays. Would love him on the Lakers, but isn't gonna happen so what. Just found it odd that a stranger to the team would know. Especially not citing personal talks to KD as a source.

You seem to try to get into quarrels with others lately, though.

[hold this L]

I hope he doesn't go to GSW or a Lebron team. Go to the east and make that conference relevant again, and make it harder for LBJ to make the NBA final. Celtics or Pistons preferably.

[thefatmiral]

Blazers or go east. Wizards? What about the heat? He could collude next year. But I doubt it's with LeBron or curry. He seems like one if those sensitive types that doesn't want to be criticized or the ridiculed so it's likely he stays

[AirTupac]

No, I don't care where Kevin Durant plays. Would love him on the Lakers, but isn't gonna happen so what. Just found it odd that a stranger to the team would know. Especially not citing personal talks to KD as a source.

You seem to try to get into quarrels with others lately, though.

My whole ISH career* The dude is a good source tho

[SwishSquared]

I'd be shocked if he let $30M+ on the table this summer. But it wouldn't be the first time it's happened.

[Overdrive]

My whole ISH career* The dude is a good source tho

He's basically stating the obvious, but the finals part seems really concrete, too concrete. Something an outsider just shouldn't know. Something most people in the organisation shouldn't even know. If true, just shows how bad OKC is handling internal affairs.

When I first joined you seemed more laid back.

[kamil]

I'd be shocked if he let $30M+ on the table this summer. But it wouldn't be the first time it's happened.

Suppose you've made about 60 million dollars. Do you really care about 30 million versus less but a championship?