Durant headed to Nets with Irving, Jordan

NBA superstar Kevin Durant didn't wait long to declare his new destination, announcing he would sign with the Brooklyn Nets a few minutes after the free agency period opened Sunday night. The announcement came via the Instagram account linked to Durant's ESPN-owned site, The Boardroom. The message said: "Kevin Durant has confirmed he will sign a max deal with the Brooklyn Nets when the free agent moratorium period ends on July 6th."

The max would be a four-year deal worth $164 million, although ESPN reports Durant will actually take less than the max to accommodate the Nets' other moves. Per the report, Durant and expected signee Kyrie Irving will each take less to allow Brooklyn to sign centre DeAndre Jordan for four years and $40 million. Reports had indicated Durant was considering the Nets, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks and his current team, the Golden State Warriors. Golden State could offer Durant an extra year and $57 million more -- and was prepared to do so, according to the New York Times' Marc Stein -- but Durant was ready to move on after three seasons with the Warriors.

Durant, who turns 31 in September, is expected to miss the entire 2019-20 season because of the ruptured Achilles he suffered in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. The 10-time All-Star averaged 26 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists in 78 games for the Warriors last season. He has career averages of 27 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 849 games.

Irving, a six-time All-Star, averaged 23.8 points, 6.9 assists and five rebounds in 67 games with the Boston Celtics last season. Irving, 27, has averages of 22.2 points, 5.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds in his eight-year career. Jordan, who turns 31 in July, averaged 11.0 points and 13.1 rebounds in 69 games last season when he played for the Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks. He has career averages of 9.6 points and 10.9 rebounds in 11 seasons in the NBA.

Meanwhile, the Nets are also expected to sign guard Garrett Temple to a two-year, $10 million deal, The Undefeated reported. The deal features a team option in the second year. Temple, 33, averaged 7.8 points and 2.9 rebounds per game in 75 games between the Grizzlies and Clippers last season.

 

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