On the eve of free agency, there may be a way for the New York Knicks to sign Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne, Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant are discussing the possibility of playing together. The Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks are the two team’s seen as distinct possibilities for a Leonard-Durant pairing.
It’s still unclear how serious Durant and Leonard are about teaming up, but this would be the dream scenario for every Knicks fan. Despite Durant’s Achilles injury, he and Leonard are still viewed as the two best options on the free agent market.
Leonard is coming off of a ridiculous playoff run in which he averaged 30.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. Leonard was a dominant force throughout the playoffs and hit big shot after big shot to take the Toronto Raptors further than anyone expected.
Much like Leonard, Durant is a two-time Finals MVP. However, he is going to need at least a year to recover from a ruptured Achilles he suffered in the NBA Finals. Although an Achilles injury would put any player’s future in doubt, the Knicks seem intent on signing Durant in spite of the injury.
Both the Knicks and Clippers have enough salary cap space to sign two free agents to max contracts. However, the Brooklyn Nets are also in position to pursue two max slots. Although Kyrie Irving appears to be locked in on the Nets, the team should consider the possibility of Durant and Leonard landing in Brooklyn.
Things can change in an instant during NBA free agency, but for now, Knicks fans have a reason to be hopeful.
