As expected, Kevin Durant has agreed to a two-year, $53 million deal with the Golden State Warriors, weeks after winning his first NBA title and the team’s second in three seasons. Just like he promised, Durant took a significant pay cut with his new deal, which is lower by around $9 million. He can demand a maximum $34.5 million but he will earn just $25 million in the first year with a player option for the second year.
Aside from tax savings, Durant’s deal will give the Warriors a chance to sign other players who will help boost their chances of repeating next season.
One of them is center JaVale McGee, who enjoyed a resurgence in his career last season with the Warriors. The Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns are also interested in McGee.
Durant’s pay cut led to signing of Iguodala
Durant’s earlier promise that he will take a pay cut enabled the Warriors to sign sixth man Andre Iguodala to a three-year, $48 million contract Saturday. The Warriors also signed point guard Stephen Curry to the league’s first supermax contract – a five-year, $201 million deal that makes him the highest-paid player in the NBA. Before signing the supermax contract, Curry earned just $12 million last season in the last year of his four-year contract worth $44 million.
The Warriors also signed veteran backup guard Shaun Livingston to a three-year, $24 million contract and power forward David West to a one-year deal with a minimum salary of $2.3 million. Last season, West signed with the Warriors for a veteran’s minimum to chase his first championship title. Now that he got his ring, West said the coming season will be his last in the NBA.
Warriors interested in Nick Young
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Warriors are also planning to add free-agent shooting guard Nick Young to their fold. Wojnarowski said the Warriors might use their $5.2 million exception to sign Young, who played with the Los Angeles Lakers the last four seasons. Young averaged 13.2 points per game last season with the Lakers.
The 32-year-old Young declined his player option to become an unrestricted free agent. Aside from the Warriors, the Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans and the new-look Minnesota Timberwolves are also interested in adding Young. Despite the chance of getting more playing time with the Pelicans, Young is considering the Warriors because of the huge opportunity of winning a championship ring with Curry, Durant and Draymond Green, who is encouraging the shooting guard to join Golden State.
