OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 12: NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors speaks to the media after winning the NBA Championship in Game Five of the 2017 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers on June 12, 2017 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Kevin Durant apparently isnt satisfied with just one title and is willing to make some financial sacrifices in order to keep the Golden State Warriors championship team intact. Durant will decline his player option for next season but will re-sign with the team on another one-year deal at less than maximum value, ESPN reported Monday.
Durant signed a similar one-plus-one deal, which carries a player option, last summer when he left the Oklahoma City Thunder and joined a Warriors team that rolled to its second title in three years. The NBA Finals MVP reportedly will turn down a player option that would have paid him $28 million next season.
His new deal reportedly will pay him less than the max hes eligible for as a 10-year veteran in order to help Golden States chances of retaining Andre Iguodala. The Warriors can use their Bird rights on an Iguodala deal that would come close to what the veteran would command on the open market.
Durants decision allows the Warriors to re-sign the four-time scoring champion to a long-term deal next summer without needing to renounce key free agents in order to create cap space. The Warriors are expected to sign Steph Curry to a max contract this summer, keeping their core four together for the foreseeable future.
Durant averaged 25.1 points, 8.3 rebound and 4.8 assists in his first season in Golden State, helping the Warriors finish with the best record in the league for the third consecutive season.
gallery:The 2017 NBA awards if voting included the playoffs
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