What will the Warriors’ pitch to Durant look like?
The Warriors are going to meet with Kevin Durant on Friday in New York. What could they say to him to persuade him to sign with Golden State?
The Golden State Warriors will be the second team to meet with superstar Kevin Durant, behind only the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Durant will be hosting his meetings at the Hamptons in New York, seeing Golden State on the first day of free agency on Friday, June 1. The former-MVP is at the top of the Warriors’ (and everybody’s) list and Joe Lacob and co. plan on pulling out all the stops in order to fix their flawed 73 win team.
Now, I’m going to be completely honest: I don’t have any sources within the Warriors’ organization or Durant’s camp. I don’t have access to what Golden State has planned for Durant. And I’m definitely not going to be in the room during the meeting as, most likely, I’ll be sleeping in after a long night of Mario Kart.
We know that Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson will be present. Recent reports have also revealed that Golden State players might have already been in Durant’s ear, starting the recruitment process at the beginning of the season.
This is what the Warriors have been seeking for two years--get the shot to make a free-agent pitch to Kevin Durant.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) June 25, 2016
Durant can go anywhere he wants and the Oklahoma City Thunder are still in the lead, but what will the Warriors say to try to convince KD to take his talents to the Bay?
Golden State can’t offer Durant the biggest paycheck like the Thunder can. And they can’t offer him a chance to be the next in line in a storied franchise’s legacy like the San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics can. And they can’t offer him the best weather and the beach with the nightlife like the Miami Heat can.
But the Warriors have plenty advantages that make them desirable.
It’s been reported that Durant is interested in Silicon Valley and the opportunities it provides, especially for life after basketball. No other market can provide this, as the Bay Area is booming with the tech industry. The star forward wants to get his foot in the door with whatever the next-big thing is. Durant is as much a brand as he is a basketball player and this gives him the best chance to grow as both.
Durant as stated, however, that basketball is his priority and no one provides a better basketball situation than the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors were five points away from repeating as NBA champions and capping off their historic 73 win season. They were well on their way to becoming the greatest basketball team in league history until they became the biggest chokers in NBA Finals history. Stephen Curry, the Association’s first unanimous MVP, has been ridiculed rather than praised.
They were almost everything.
And this is the angle the Warriors will play in their meeting with Durant. He can make them the greatest team of all-time. He can, alongside Curry, win multiple championships. By losing, the Warriors can push the narrative that they need him. He can be an integral member of the most dynamic offense to ever step on a court, while elevating a revolutionary defense.
The Warriors’ famous “Death Lineup” would transform into the “Apocalypse Lineup” (or something…) with Durant playing a small ball four. Upon signing, the question wouldn’t be “can the Warriors win a championship?” it would be “how many will they win?” They would be unopposed for close to a decade, dominating the entire league and establishing the NBA’s greatest dynasty.
The team, as presently constructed, is a selfless team that thrives off ball movement. Unlike in OKC with the point guard they have there, there won’t be power struggles between Curry, Thompson, and Durant. Curry defers to his teammates (even when he probably shouldn’t) for the sake of getting them into a rhythm and winning. The ultimate goal here is winning, which Durant claims to want.
Perhaps the biggest advantage the Warriors have over the Thunder is certainty. Thompson and Green are locked up for many years. Curry will most likely not go anywhere when he becomes a free agent. Three All-NBA players and a two-time MVP will all be there to play alongside Durant for many seasons. In OKC, there’s no guarantee Russell Westbrook re-signs next year and, even if he does, they probably need a third star alongside the two of them, which is a lot easier said than done. In Golden State, all the pieces are in place for a long time providing Durant a sense of security.
Next: 5 non-KD free agents to look at
Basically, in a nutshell, the Warriors are going to say “hey Kevin, join us and be a key part of the most special group to ever step on a basketball court for multiple seasons while simultaneously create something great off the court for yourself.”
Doesn’t sound like a bad plan.