Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant has declined his $31.5-million player option, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The move would see Durant become an unrestricted free agent on June 30 when the NBA’s moratorium period opens at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.
Durant has long been expected to decline his option, but there was some question about the move after he ruptured his Achilles tendon in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors.
The Brooklyn Nets are currently the betting favourites to land the two-time Finals MVP, while the Warriors are second-favourites to re-sign Durant.
Durant signed with the Warriors in July 2016 after spending the first nine seasons of his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 30-year-old averaged 25.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 208 regular-season games for Golden State, and helped lead the franchise to back-to-back NBA title victories over LeBron James’s Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017 and 2018.
Fellow Warrior Klay Thompson, who also suffered a long-term injury in the NBA Finals, will become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins, as well.
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