Durant to lose 40 to 70 million dollars by leaving.

[KG Living Legend]

 If he Stays in OKC. 5 year deal with 149 million.
 1 year then 5 year extension 228 million.

 If he leaves.

 4 year deal 111 million
 1 year then 4 years extension 159-176 million that's 52 million less at the least. wow. We better assemble an All star team or he's going nowhere.

[Lucky17]

 If he Stays in OKC. 5 year deal with 149 million.
 1 year then 5 year extension 228 million.

 If he leaves.

 4 year deal 111 million
 1 year then 4 years extension 159-176 million that's 52 million less at the least. wow. We better assemble an All star team or he's going nowhere.

So he'd get more with a 1 + 4 deal elsewhere than if he were to resign for 5 in OKC?

[Eja117]

True but when a guy already has a $100mill and stands to make another $150mill and just got a $250mill shoe contract (and that's not all) $40-$70 mill to go get rings vs not having any....

[A Future of Stevens]

 If he Stays in OKC. 5 year deal with 149 million.
 1 year then 5 year extension 228 million.

 If he leaves.

 4 year deal 111 million
 1 year then 4 years extension 159-176 million that's 52 million less at the least. wow. We better assemble an All star team or he's going nowhere.

So he'd get more with a 1 + 4 deal elsewhere than if he were to resign for 5 in OKC?

Assuming these numbers are correct, looks that way. I guess the best move is to take a 1 year deal, then jump on in to that huge money with a large deal the following year.

[TA9]

Even though it's a lot of money, I don't think it's THAT important to KD (he is probably making a ton anyway if you put his sponsorship deals into consideration as well). In my opinion, it seems like winning is more important to him than money.

[Eja117]

I mean look at it this way

What would you rather have?

$400 mill and two rings

or

$460 mill and none.

The government takes like half anyway. Get the rings. Get immortality.

[BitterJim]

I mean look at it this way

What would you rather have?

$400 mill and two rings

or

$460 mill and none.

The government takes like half anyway. Get the rings. Get immortality.

He makes more from endorsements anyway, a small drop in salary shouldn't really matter

[saltlover]

Under the current CBA (which could very well change in a couple of years), Durant could maximize his income by doing the following:

Signing a 1-year deal (with a player option) this summer.  The signing a two year deal with a player option next summer.  Finally, he would sign a 5-year deal at the end of the two-year deal, which would take him to age 35 (because he can still presumably command a 5-year max deal if he signs it at age 30).

Under this scenario, with the current cap projections and CBA, he would make $321 million over 8 years if he leaves OKC this summer and plays with his new team for 8 years.  He can make $328.5 million over 8 years if he stays in OKC.

So he could lose $7.5 million in salary over 8 years, about 2% less.

[Eja117]

Under the current CBA (which could very well change in a couple of years), Durant could maximize his income by doing the following:

Signing a 1-year deal (with a player option) this summer.  The signing a two year deal with a player option next summer.  Finally, he would sign a 5-year deal at the end of the two-year deal, which would take him to age 35 (because he can still presumably command a 5-year max deal if he signs it at age 30).

Under this scenario, with the current cap projections and CBA, he would make $321 million over 8 years if he leaves OKC this summer and plays with his new team for 8 years.  He can make $328.5 million over 8 years if he stays in OKC.

So he could lose $7.5 million in salary over 8 years, about 2% less.

And endorsements make you more money when you're a champion. Plus there's the matter of state taxes probably making the difference here.

[greece66]

sure he will make less if he leaves, but this is hardly news.

as commented earlier, I do not think this is a major factor in his decision making as he makes ridiculously much money from commercials (and I do expect him to stay in OKC).

[Fafnir]

Some players care a lot about the Money. (Melo for example)

Others are more interested in the other things since they're still getting paid a lot no matter what option they take.

I think Durant has consistently sounded like the latter.

[SHAQATTACK]

True but when a guy already has a $100mill and stands to make another $150mill and just got a $250mill shoe contract (and that's not all) $40-$70 mill to go get rings vs not having any....

Bummer...how is a guy suppose to live off those wages......

[Big333223]

A little too easy for us to say, "He should just leave $60 million on the table." I don't care how much you make, that's a ton of money.

[makaveli]

there are so many ifs involved with durrant that i honestly do not know why people even bother thinking about it, i'll try to put some of them in order:
1. does he think that OKC can get better next year
2. does he want a max contract
3. does he care about his legacy in terms of joining GSW accepting a smaller role and join them if you can't beat them way of thinking
4. if he does want to leave okc and does not want to join GSW or SAS what is his angle, cause there is going to be a building process, it is very difficult to win a title right away ala the celtics in 08'. point being, every team in the nba will throw him a pitch and we can argue that the celtics are in a good situation and have a good coach, but in best case scenario there are 5 other teams that are as good of a fit as the celtics are , worst case scenario 15, and that gives us a 20% chance tops.

[jpotter33]

True but when a guy already has a $100mill and stands to make another $150mill and just got a $250mill shoe contract (and that's not all) $40-$70 mill to go get rings vs not having any....

Exactly. Being one of the top stars in the league, he's not having to worry about money. Hell, Boston is a much bigger market than OKC, so he'd probably have even more avenues to make big money here.

Let's not forget that he's also on the record saying money isn't everything.