Kevin Durant wasn't surprised that LaMarcus Aldridge left the Portland Trail Blazers for the San Antonio Spurs during free agency. Durant, who will be a free agent in 2016, said that focusing on yourself is the key to making a career decision, Royce Young of ESPN reported.
Kevin Durant respects LaMarcus Aldridge’s decision to leave Blazers
The 2016 free agent says, “You’ve got to focus on you.”
Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
“You could kind of tell once this whole thing started that he was trying to go somewhere else,” Durant said of Aldridge, who signed with the Spurs for four years and $80 million. “But in those decisions, man, you’ve just got to respect the guy for making a decision that was right for him. I know a lot of fans were probably upset in Portland with the decision. But at this point of your life and your career, you’ve got to focus on you.”
Durant lauded LeBron James' decision to return to Cleveland during last year's free agency after a four-year stint in Miami. "I said this last year when Mr. James made his decision," Durant said. "It was pretty cool to see a guy do what he wants to do and not worry about what everybody thinks."
Rumors have swirled about Durant leaving the Thunder once his contract ends in 2016. Durant has spent his entire career as part of the franchise -- he played one year in Seattle before the team moved to Oklahoma City -- but because he was born in Washington, D.C., many think he might return home to the Washington Wizards. The New York Knicks and the Miami Heat are rumored to be in the mix as well.
Durant, however, said he isn’t thinking about next year. “No, I haven’t thought about it,” he told ESPN. “I hear it all the time, but I really am just focusing on rehab. I can’t get there unless I take care of today. That’s the way I look at it even though I hear it from every side, thinking past to next summer. But I’m not even trying to focus on that.”
Durant, the 2014 NBA MVP, is currently rehabbing from a third surgery on his right foot. ESPN reported that Durant’s rehab is entering “Phase 3,” with him on the floor taking jump shots but not running and cutting yet. Durant said everything is on schedule and that he expects to be cleared to play sometime in August.
Durant missed nearly all of the 2014-15 season, playing just 27 games. Russell Westbrook did his best to get the Thunder to the playoffs, but they ended up losing the final spot to the New Orleans Pelicans.
With a healthy Durant, the Thunder will be chasing the NBA title. If they can capture that, it’s going to be very hard for Durant to leave next summer.
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