Warriors’ pursuit of Kevin Durant beginning
Warriors’ pursuit of Kevin Durant beginning
An overwhelming number of stories will be written and told about the Warriors’ pursuit of Kevin Durant during the next week, but the franchise’s chase of one of the NBA’s all-time greatest scorers started in earnest two years ago.
During Team USA’s 2014 training camp in Las Vegas, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, then-New Orleans head coach Monty Williams and Durant were almost always the last men on the UNLV court — staying hours after the rest of the roster.
Sometimes the four would even go back to the gym late at night, refining their crafts and building a strong bond.
“Obviously, (Durant) is a player who would improve any franchise tenfold,” Thompson said during Team USA’s Olympic media tour in New York on Monday.
Thompson and Curry will be part of the Warriors’ full-court press to reach an agreement with Durant when free-agency opens this week.
The NBA’s moratorium, during which teams may meet with players but cannot officially sign contracts, starts at 9:01 p.m. PDT Thursday, and the Warriors are scheduled to meet with the league’s most-prized free agent Friday in New York.
Durant will huddle with the only franchise he has known in Oklahoma City on Thursday and then fly to New York to meet with other suitors, according to ESPN.
The four-time scoring champion also is expected to meet with the Celtics, Clippers, Heat and Spurs, and he could add to the list.
The moratorium lasts until Wednesday, giving the league time to complete its yearly audit and set the salary-cap figures for the upcoming season.
The cap is expected to leap to about $95 million for 2016-17, but the Warriors will still have plenty of work to do, if they persuade Durant to leave OKC for the Bay Area.
To create that much space, the Warriors will have to renounce their rights to match offer sheets for forward Harrison Barnes and center Festus Ezeli, probably lose their other six free agents and trade either center Andrew Bogut or sixth man Andre Iguodala.
Iguodala is believed to be among the Warriors’ “Core Four” of untouchables with Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green, so a Bogut deal is much more likely.
The Warriors could use the $5 million traded-player exception they received in last summer’s David Lee-Gerald Wallace deal, a $2.9 million mid-level exception and minimum contracts for the final four spots.
Durant would be wise to sign a two-year deal, with the second season being a player option.
[...] the peaceful 6-foot-10 Durant doesn’t share in the enjoyment of the free-agency circus with his agent, Rich Kleiman of Roc Nation, and business manager, Charlie Bell.
Durant silently announced via his Twitter account the news about his five-year, max extension with OKC in 2010.
The smart money is on Durant returning to OKC again, according to SportsBettingDime.com.
The online gambling site lists the Thunder as the 5-to-2 favorite, with the Warriors coming in second at 4-to-1.
[...] the Warriors can never be counted out of the improbable.
If they fail to pull off another coup with Durant, the Warriors could turn their attention to Al Horford.
The power forward, who can dominate at center in the new NBA, makes too much sense to ignore.
If the Warriors can’t land either of the free-agent crop’s top players, they’ll probably turn to their contingency plan of preserving most of the roster that made back-to-back NBA Finals trips.
On Wednesday, the Warriors opted not to extend qualifying offers to either guard Ian Clark and forward James Michael McAdoo, meaning they join guard Leandro Barbosa, swingman Brandon Rush, center Marreese Speights and center Anderson Varejao as unrestricted free agents.
Rusty Simmons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.
Email: rsimmons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Rusty_SFChron
2016 free agency
The top prize is Kevin Durant, but if the Warriors can’t persuade the four-time scoring champion to leave Oklahoma City for the Bay Area, they’ll have to focus on the rest of the free-agent crop.
point guards
[...] Curry was injured and tired in the postseason, and Livingston plays under a pretty strict minutes limit, so they need a third option.
Player
2015-16 salary
Note
Was considered before he went to Chicago in 2013.
Two-time champ seems to fit the Warriors’ culture.
Fans wouldn’t think he was “dirty” in blue and gold.
Warriors paid for his basketball camp as a child.
Would the Palo Alto native give a hometown discount?
shooting guards
Klay Thompson and Curry log the majority of these minutes, but if the Warriors don’t re-up with Leandro Barbosa, they’ll need a replacement.
Player
2015-16 salary
Note
Perfect fit, but doesn’t list Warriors among suitors.
Combination with Steve Kerr would be hilarious.
Matches the Warriors’ plan to switch on defense.
Would help the Warriors’ free-throw numbers.
After Durant’s decision and the Warriors’ decision on Harrison Barnes, they’ll still need to add wings.
Andre Iguodala will play only 25-30 minutes per night during the regular season.
Player
2015-16 salary
Note
Matt Barnes
Warriors’ locker room could handle this.
Could start at SF and play backup PF.
Does way more than cheering these days.
Why not another University of Arizona alum?
Draymond Green needs a backup at power forward, especially if he can also play center.
Kevon Looney is coming off of two hip surgeries, and James Michael McAdoo is a free agent.
Player
2015-16 salary
Note
Talk about a stretch-4!
Pau Gasol
Makes the most sense in all of free agency.
Took huge pay cut to chase ring with Spurs.
centers
The Warriors could trade Andrew Bogut and lose Festus Ezeli in free agency, leaving them with only rookie Damian Jones coming off pectoral surgery.
Marreese Speights and Anderson Varejao are also free agents.
Player
2015-16 salary
Note
Showed up for Warriors’ tryout without tooth.
Roy Hibbert
Claimed to be a “7-2, black Bogut.”
Warriors would have used him in Game 7.
Kerr once believed Noah was third-most clutch player.
Kerr knows all on Stoudemire’s microfracture surgery.