Golden State Warriors: Kevin Durant opting out is not bad news

Kevin Durant has opted out of his contract with the Golden State Warriors, but it isn’t time to panic yet.

The Golden State Warriors pulled off one of the greatest signings in NBA history when they acquired Kevin Durant in the summer of 2016. This addition gave the Dubs an unprecedented four All-Stars and two of the three best players in the world.

Since joining the Dubs, KD has seen almost nothing but success. Helping to lead the team to three NBA Finals appearances and winning the Finals MVP twice, its safe to say Durant probably doesn’t regret his decision to join them.

However, there have been rumors that this could be KD’s final season with the Warriors. All season long we have heard the speculation. Now, Durant has taken the next step to making this a reality by electing to opt out of his contract and become a free agent this summer.

While many fans are taking this as solid evidence that KD already has his mind set on leaving the Warriors, I think everyone should take a step back. Looking at this from a purely business perspective, it makes complete sense for Durant to opt out of his contract regardless of where he decides to play next season.

Durant has more than proven he deserves the max salary a team can offer him. By opting out, he gains the opportunity to earn that from the Warriors. Even with his ruptured Achilles, Durant has all the leverage in the world to negotiate a max deal.

Of course, we also have speculation that Durant plans on meeting with a few different teams before making his final decision. This shouldn’t be a surprise, why wouldn’t Durant at least entertain the thought of joining other teams?

Overall, this news shouldn’t change anything that we have already been thinking about the situation. If you believe Durant is staying with the team, then you should still hold on to that faith. If you are on the side of KD leaving, then this only increases your chances of being right.