If KD really has torn his achilles

[Moranis]

does that alter his free agency at all?  Are teams still going to want to aggressively pursue him only to pay him max money to sit on the sidelines and not play for a year?  Does he just opt in to the final year and heal up in GS?

[Silky]

Him going down keeps him in GS I think.
Especially if GS loses the finals.

He stays and they win again it proves to Draymond that the team needed him. Especially since if KD is back it means Draymond is likely gone

[Roy H.]

If somebody offers him a 4-year max contract, I suspect he’d take it. I also think multiple teams will make that gamble.

[gouki88]

If somebody offers him a 4-year max contract, I suspect he’d take it. I also think multiple teams will make that gamble.

Yeah, this is where I'm at with it. I think New York is desperate enough to maybe still offer him a 4 year

[footey]

I think he is going to opt in with GSW.

Another thought: What effect would such an injury have on Kyrie’s decision? Losing out on playing with KD next season is a big deal.

Does he think more seriously about coming back to Boston? Or going to the Lakers?

What effect does this have on Knicks pursuit of AD, if KD can’t play next season?

[tazzmaniac]

If somebody offers him a 4-year max contract, I suspect he’d take it. I also think multiple teams will make that gamble.

Yeah, this is where I'm at with it. I think New York is desperate enough to maybe still offer him a 4 year

If it is an Achilles, I doubt any team will offer him a 4 year Max (over 170M) without any protections based on his playing time and performance.  At a minimum that 4th year would be a team option.  The Knicks can go after other FAs and can try to trade for AD.   

[gouki88]

If somebody offers him a 4-year max contract, I suspect he’d take it. I also think multiple teams will make that gamble.

Yeah, this is where I'm at with it. I think New York is desperate enough to maybe still offer him a 4 year

If it is an Achilles, I doubt any team will offer him a 4 year Max (over 170M) without any protections based on his playing time and performance.  At a minimum that 4th year would be a team option.  The Knicks can go after other FAs and can try to trade for AD.   

Maybe, but the Knicks are really really dumb.

[Green-18]

If somebody offers him a 4-year max contract, I suspect he’d take it. I also think multiple teams will make that gamble.

Yeah, this is where I'm at with it. I think New York is desperate enough to maybe still offer him a 4 year

If it is an Achilles, I doubt any team will offer him a 4 year Max (over 170M) without any protections based on his playing time and performance.  At a minimum that 4th year would be a team option.  The Knicks can go after other FAs and can try to trade for AD.   

Maybe, but the Knicks are really really dumb.

Agreed.  The Knicks have been irrelevant for too long, so there will be pressure to make a splash even if the risk is extremely high. 

[PAOBoston]

He more than likely opts in with GS and sits out all of next year to rehab. At 30/31, there’s a good chance that we've seen the best if KD. It’s hard to come back from that type of injury in basketball.

[Roy H.]

If somebody offers him a 4-year max contract, I suspect he’d take it. I also think multiple teams will make that gamble.

Yeah, this is where I'm at with it. I think New York is desperate enough to maybe still offer him a 4 year

If it is an Achilles, I doubt any team will offer him a 4 year Max (over 170M) without any protections based on his playing time and performance.  At a minimum that 4th year would be a team option.  The Knicks can go after other FAs and can try to trade for AD.   

Maybe, but the Knicks are really really dumb.

Agreed.  The Knicks have been irrelevant for too long, so there will be pressure to make a splash even if the risk is extremely high.

I think that's right.  I mean, teams waste multiple seasons tanking, with (previously) a 25% shot at a draft pick. 

Here, we're talking about a team sacrificing one season in hopes that Durant fully recovers.  If he does, they've landed an MVP.  What do the Knicks have to lose?

[Sophomore]

If somebody offers him a 4-year max contract, I suspect he’d take it. I also think multiple teams will make that gamble.

Yeah, this is where I'm at with it. I think New York is desperate enough to maybe still offer him a 4 year

If it is an Achilles, I doubt any team will offer him a 4 year Max (over 170M) without any protections based on his playing time and performance.  At a minimum that 4th year would be a team option.  The Knicks can go after other FAs and can try to trade for AD.   

Maybe, but the Knicks are really really dumb.

Agreed.  The Knicks have been irrelevant for too long, so there will be pressure to make a splash even if the risk is extremely high.

I think that's right.  I mean, teams waste multiple seasons tanking, with (previously) a 25% shot at a draft pick. 

Here, we're talking about a team sacrificing one season in hopes that Durant fully recovers.  If he does, they've landed an MVP.  What do the Knicks have to lose?

Heck of a risk if he doesn’t recover - even more if it ends their chance of pairing him with a second star. Does this mean Kyrie is rethinking his future, for example?

[Fafnir]

If somebody offers him a 4-year max contract, I suspect he’d take it. I also think multiple teams will make that gamble.

There is no way the Warriors don't still have a full 5 year max on the table for him as well.

For me the new question is if Durant wants to lock in extra money that GSW can give him.

[jambr380]

I understand that KD is a much better player than Cousins, but that money was certainly not there for Cousins when he was going into his FA in a similar circumstance.

I agree that at this point NYK probably just need to take a chance and go for it. Who really cares if they are bad for another year? They will get another high draft pick they can use in a trade next year. I assumed that Durant would just opt-in to the last year, but no reason to do that if max money is on the table over multiple years. I am sure he will come back at least 'very good', but there are no guarantees with this injury.

[Fafnir]

I understand that KD is a much better player than Cousins, but that money was certainly not there for Cousins when he was going into his FA in a similar circumstance.

I agree that at this point NYK probably just need to take a chance and go for it. Who really cares if they are bad for another year? They will get another high draft pick they can use in a trade next year. I assumed that Durant would just opt-in to the last year, but no reason to do that if max money is on the table over multiple years. I am sure he will come back at least 'very good', but there are no guarantees with this injury.

If he doesn't get a full max contract offer he'll opt in. So I think he'll have that on the table from NYK and GSW.

[wdleehi]

Does he trust the GS training staff and Doctors now?   


I think he opts is.