The Houston Rockets are planning to make a run at signing Kevin Durant when the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar becomes a free agent in 2016, while the Washington Wizards will also be in a good position to land the reigning Most Valuable Player.
Marc Stein of ESPN reported that the Rockets have not yet given up on their dream to land another superstar to pair up with Dwight Howard and James Harden.
While the Rockets are expected to be very active on the free agency market next summer, Stein said that their ultimate target will be Durant, who would become a free agent in 2016, the same year the salary cap will increase significantly because of the new television deal.
Sources indicated that the Rockets are planning to use James Harden in convincing Durant to join the Rockets. Durant and Harden enjoyed good relationship in Oklahoma City from 2009-2012 before the Thunder traded "The Beard Man" to Houston before the start of the 2012-13 NBA season.
The Rockets tried to catch a big fish during the offseason, but they failed to convince Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh to join Harden and Howard in Houston.
Aside from the Rockets, the Wizards are also expected to be in the mix when Durant hits free agency. In fact Zach Lowe of Grantland believes Durant's choice will boil down to either the Thunder or Wizards because Washington could use a home-coming pitch to acquire the Washington, DC native.
"Some teams are optimistic it will be open season, and others have heard rumblings that Durant has already made it known it will come down to the Thunder and Wizards. Nobody really knows," Lowe noted.
But when Durant was asked if he will consider signing with the Wizards to play in front of his hometown fans, the 26-year-old superstar said that he is not yet thinking about it, but he reiterated that he loves Oklahoma City and that he can inspire Washington kids even if he stays with the Thunder.
"I really haven't thought about that, to be honest," Durant said of his impending free agency. "I hear it a lot. But I think I can make an impact on the community I grew up from anywhere. So I think I'm doing a good job of that in Oklahoma. My friends, my family, the kids in my neighborhood, are seeing that. I'm inspiring them from Oklahoma City. I really haven't thought about it. I love where I am."
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