OKC Thunder Rumors: Kevin Durant’s ever changing ‘2016 decision’ timeline

The ongoing saga of former OKC Thunder superstar Kevin Durant and specifics on the timing of his 2016 decision to depart for Oakland continue as yet another story emerges.

Once again, the timeline of Kevin Durant’s decision to leave the OKC Thunder for the Golden State Warriors has been muddied.

According to NBC Sports’ Dan Feldman, it’s possible that Durant made his decision in May of 2016, well before free agency opened. And it’s even more possible that he officially told his agent, Rich Kleiman, about his decision to go to the Warriors on the night of OKC’s devastating game seven loss to Golden State in the playoffs that year.

Now, none of this is fully confirmed. Although this came directly from Durant and Kleiman at Bloomberg’s Players Technology Summit, the timelines they were presenting left huge holes. Subsequently, this raises more questions around his decision to leave OKC.

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During the panel, Durant and Kleiman repeatedly bring up the period between May 2016 and the playoff loss that year as a time when the decision might have been already made. But at one point, KD reaches as far back as his season-ending injury in 2015 as a time when his thinking was beginning to shift.

No matter how the timeline looks exactly–which is something I doubt we’ll ever know–the reasons and motivations behind the move are clearer than ever. After all, there’s a reason this information came out during the Bloomberg’s Player Technology Summit and not some random podcast; business was the driving force.

Throughout the panel, Durant mentions the endless business opportunities the Bay Area presents, and though he doesn’t explicitly say it, the opportunities that Oklahoma City doesn’t. Maybe in the age of technology and global connectivity that’s an unfair statement, but it does seem to be the primary reason that Kevin Durant left the OKC Thunder.

It’s not unusual for players to talk with each other regarding joining forces. Nor is this something the league will ever be able to police. At issue, is the fact the OKC Thunder were one win away from dispensing of the Warriors and making the franchises second trip to the to the NBA Finals.

Equally frustrating is Durant’s apparent disregard for the team who drafted him. Unlike many superstars who’ve worked in concert with their existing teams Durant exited leaving OKC without anything in return.  His initial claims were of it being a decision made based on the ‘Hampton pitch’. Each time a new scenario is presented that seems further and further from the truth.

Ultimately, the NBA is a business and relationships will come and go. For OKC, there will always be angst over KD’s departure and just as those feeling dissipate another story pops up to open healing wounds.

Rumors swirled Warriors management and teammates weren’t certain Durant would re-sign this summer. He did, on a two year deal with an opt out clause meaning he’ll likely enter free agency again in 2019. At least, this time it’s an issue for the Warriors and not the Thunder.