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  • Kevin Durant

    Okay so let me start off by saying there's not a high chance of this happening, but the point is is that there is A slight chance.

    When Durant's contract is over, Masai should be heavily targeting him. Considering the timing and all the factors, I believe we'd have a top 2 shot of landing him.

    Out of all teams, I think top five in 2015 to land KD are OKC, Toronto, Phoenix, Lakers and Philadelphia.

    Let's start with Phili. The only way they pursue is if they don't draft Wiggins or Parker this year. If they elect to draft Embiid, their core is now MCW, Embiid and Nerlens Noel. They are in obvious need of a wing. With the progression of these players and their tons of cap space, they'd have a legit shot.

    Next up: LAL
    LA is automatically a player in every big free agent that's in play. They have Kobe and whoever they draft this year, and they would have a pretty good chance at signing him. The only thing that holds them back is Kobe's contract. Kevin Love is also a free agent that season, and seeing how he's a LA native, odds are they pursue him more. And quite frankly they can't afford both.

    Phoenix
    Phoenix is a player because they have so much versatility in their roster. They have two point guards that have star potential, and four first round picks in a loaded draft year is big. No one really knows what their roster will look like a year from now, but they will almost certainly have a solid core and cap space.

    OKC
    The obvious pick. KD has made multiple playoff runs and has a sidekick with Russell Westbrook. They have young players that can flourish in a couple years (Reggie Jackson, Jeremy Lamb, Stephen Adams) and odds are KD doesn't want to abandon that team or city.

    Toronto
    We are an interesting team in this because it seems like we are building our team strictly to lure KD. Masai has said that Greivis Vasquez will be around for awhile as they have a relationship that goes back years to when Masai gave Gravy his big break. Vasquez played with KD in high school and so there's familiarity. Tim Leiweke has made a concentrated effort to fix the burnt bridges between Toronto and Carter, and whether Carter is back or not, he will most likely be more a part of Toronto's future in the coming years (throwback jerseys, ceremony and probably retiring his number). Where does Carter come into play with KD? KD has said that Carter was one of his favorite players growing up when he played for Toronto. Also, it's very clear that Toronto does not have a starting SF on the roster, Ross has been there but he is clearly not big enough to stay there long term as we saw in the Brooklyn series. With Ross being an obvious non-fit at SF, Masai has done nothing to try to fix this issue. Throw in the fact that Toronto has a rebranding and they host the allstar game the season after KD hits free agency, and the stage is pretty much set for this team to be his. Clearly, Toronto has a very real shot at landing him.

    Out of all five teams the top two I would say are OKC and Toronto. Talking strictly basketball, I personally think he has a better shot at a title in Toronto.
    OKC has made the finals once with Durant on the roster, and they had Harden on the team then. They are in the brink of a first round exit this year and the west is a very strong conference, leading to a harder path to the finals. Finally, KD-Westbrook is clearly not enough to win a title and there aren't enough shots (or money really) to go around to signing another big name player.

    Toronto would be coming off of their second competitive season, but their roster would suit him perfectly. A starting lineup of Lowry-DD-KD-Amir-Jonas is dangerous and a bench with Vasquez, Ross, Patterson and our draft picks (our 1st rounder this year, our 1st next year and NY's 1st next year). Being in the east pretty much means you need to be able to beat Miami to make the finals and I think that roster would 2 years from now. KD would have a legitimate shot at a title and he'd be the face of a roster on the rise, so I think he'd be best suited to choose Toronto. And seeing what happened with Lebron winning at least 2 titles since switching teams (possibly 4 by the time KD makes his decision), clearly winning is a bigger factor then loyalty.

    TL;DR Toronto has a legit shot at signing Durant when his contract's up and should try to land him by doing whatever it takes.

  • #2
    No offense, but this has been discussed at length in multiple threads
    9 time first team all-RR, First Ballot Hall of Forum

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    • #3
      KeonClark wrote: View Post
      No offense, but this has been discussed at length in multiple threads
      So now we only need one thread!
      "Bruno?
      Heh, if he is in the D-league still in a few years I will be surprised.
      He's terrible."

      -Superjudge, 7/23

      Hope you're wrong.

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      • #4
        1) Durant is a free agent in 2016, not 2015.

        2) The Raptors will not have max cap space in 2016, unless they let one of Lowry, GV, Patterson walk, and don't sign anyone to contracts that are longer than 2 years this summer or 1 year next summer, or if DD opts out and signs elsewhere (if he opts out and is going to re-sign, he actually takes up MORE cap space). Not signing anyone to long term deals will be difficult as they will have max cap room in 2015.
        twitter.com/dhackett1565

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        • #5
          Lowry, GV, PPat would be 3-4 year deal, DD is a player option. Without signing free agents to long term deal most salaries would be expired or expiring. Toronto would have maximum flexibility in 2016. Plus the cap space will rise by then.

          Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

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          • #6
            raptors999 wrote: View Post
            Lowry, GV, PPat would be 3-4 year deal, DD is a player option. Without signing free agents to long term deal most salaries would be expired or expiring. Toronto would have maximum flexibility in 2016. Plus the cap space will rise by then.

            Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
            The cap holds on both JV and TR will be quite high (I believe it's around $9M for both). That's why they won't be able to sign him outright unless one or both are traded/renounced (which I doubt will happen).

            If Durant wants to come to Toronto it can still happen.. will just have to be in a S&T.

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            • #7
              Way too many things will happen before his contract expires to even discuss this.

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              • #8
                raptors999 wrote: View Post
                Lowry, GV, PPat would be 3-4 year deal, DD is a player option. Without signing free agents to long term deal most salaries would be expired or expiring. Toronto would have maximum flexibility in 2016. Plus the cap space will rise by then.

                Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
                3 year deals for all three would run until the end of the 2016-17 season (2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17). So they would all be still on the books when Durant is a free agent, thus using up most of the cap space projected for that season. I've included the rising cap in my calculations. Nevermind the cost of signing 4 draft picks (2014, 2015, 2016, 2016 NYK) in that time.

                DD has a player option that he will certainly decline, and then either you have DD on the cap for his max salary as a cap hold, or you let him walk and have one less reason for Durant to come here in the first place.
                twitter.com/dhackett1565

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                • #9
                  If Durant shows any indication of coming to Toronto our cap situation is very flexible in 2016. There won't be any large dead contracts. If KD comes to Toronto DD leaves

                  Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

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                  • #10
                    raptors999 wrote: View Post
                    If Durant shows any indication of coming to Toronto our cap situation is very flexible in 2016. There won't be any large dead contracts. If KD comes to Toronto DD leaves

                    Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
                    Will the 2016 cap situation be flexible though? You yourself just said we should re-sign Lowry, Patman, and GV to 3-4 year deals. That's 3 deals that are 1-2 years long still on the books, plus the cap holds for Ross and JV, plus 4 rookie scale contracts. That already adds up to about 50M (assuming low end rookie salaries - could be a lot more if the NYK pick is decent) out of a ~65M cap. That leaves 15M to sign Durant (who will be owed 21M as a starting max salary). Nevermind if we sign ANYONE in 2015, when we look to have 10M+ (possibly quite a bit more) in cap space, which I doubt we use on 1 year deals. Nevermind re-signing Amir next summer. Nevermind bringing Fields back on a smaller salary.
                    twitter.com/dhackett1565

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                    • #11
                      DanH wrote: View Post
                      ... plus 4 rookie scale contracts.
                      Highly doubt all four rookies stick with the team, in a s&t two or three could be used as trade bait. Give them 3 and a first is a huge return if it's clear that Durant wants out.

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                      • #12
                        There are way too many variables between now and 2016 to say it will or will not be possible. Either way it would not be a bad thing if Toronto can find a way to have 20+ million in useable capspace that year. There are other quality free agents set to be on the market.

                        And as has been mentioned, Toronto may have to do a S&T...this could even have nothing to do with Toronto's capspace. Durant is a stand up guy, and if he wants to leave OKC, I can see him wanting to leave in a way that doesn't leave them totally hanging. Suddenly having capspace, 4 possible rookie-scale contracts to deal, as well as possibly picks for the future could make Toronto big players for him.

                        Again, there are just too many variables. Some of the things that are viewed as detriments may turn out to be assets. And as it stands now, nothing about Toronto's cap situation suggests they definitely will or won't be able to make a max offer.

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                        • #13
                          DanH wrote: View Post
                          3 year deals for all three would run until the end of the 2016-17 season (2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17). So they would all be still on the books when Durant is a free agent, thus using up most of the cap space projected for that season. I've included the rising cap in my calculations. Nevermind the cost of signing 4 draft picks (2014, 2015, 2016, 2016 NYK) in that time.

                          DD has a player option that he will certainly decline, and then either you have DD on the cap for his max salary as a cap hold, or you let him walk and have one less reason for Durant to come here in the first place.
                          Unless you trade DeRozan sooner than later for picks and prospects and hope they turn in to something special while still on a rookie contract and able to be retained after signing Durant via Bird Rights.

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                          • #14
                            DanH wrote: View Post
                            1) Durant is a free agent in 2016, not 2015.

                            2) The Raptors will not have max cap space in 2016, unless they let one of Lowry, GV, Patterson walk, and don't sign anyone to contracts that are longer than 2 years this summer or 1 year next summer, or if DD opts out and signs elsewhere (if he opts out and is going to re-sign, he actually takes up MORE cap space). Not signing anyone to long term deals will be difficult as they will have max cap room in 2015.
                            Or if DD is traded.

                            Assuming the salary cap reaches $70M by 2016-17.....

                            Cap holds of $20M for TR and JV
                            Resign Lowry for $10M
                            $19M for the rest of the roster (ideally a lot of productive rookie contracts) and minimum cap holds of to reach 13 roster spaces.

                            30% of cap would be $21M and max starting year salary.

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                            • #15
                              4 year deal with Kyle.GV never thought would be higher than QO. GV and PPat arent big enough contracts to make or break a Durant Deal. DeMar will be gone if Durant wants to Sign. Our largest salary will be Lowry and JV on rookie extension. Ross would be an RFA.

                              Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

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