Report: Knicks Did Not Offer Kevin Durant a Full Maximum Contract in Free Agency
The New York Knicks were not preared to offer Kevin Durant a full max contract in free agency, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported on Sunday.
According to Shelburne, Knicks owner Jim Dolan had concerns over Durant's ability to recover from his Achilles injury. Durant underwent surgery on June 12 to repair the ruptured Achilles he suffered during Game 5 of the NBA Finals and is expected to miss up to a year recovering.
The news comes shortly after Durant announced he was signing a four-year, $164 million max deal with the Brooklyn Nets once the free agent moratorum period ends July 6. Durant reportedly met with Warriors general manager Bob Myers on Sunday and informed him of his decision to leave Golden State.
The Knicks are also expected to miss out on free agent Kyrie Irving, who will also sign a max deal with the Nets alongside Durant and free agent center DeAndre Jordan. New York is now reportedly signing Julius Randle to a three-year, $63 million contract.
Durant averaged 26 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game for the Warriors last season and is a a 10-time All-Star, the league's 2014 MVP and a four-time NBA scoring leader.
