With Kevin Durant set to become a free agent this summer, rumors about his eventual destination are continuing to fly. Teams across the league would obviously love to add a star like Durant, if they have the financial room, and the latest to enter the fray is the Memphis Grizzlies.
In a broader piece about the Grizzlies and recently injured center Marc Gasol, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported the team will look to add Durant and form a “big three” with Gasol and point guard Mike Conley. Conley will also be a free agent this offseason, and there will be plenty of competition for his services that will drive up the length and money involved in a new contract. For what it’s worth, Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace has said that re-signing Conley will be the team’s No. 1 priority this summer. Serious interest in Durant would seem to shift that priority, but any desire Memphis has to create a notable trio is unrealistic at best.
Durant’s loyalty to the Oklahoma City Thunder gives smaller market teams some hope to sign him this offseason, but he can hardly be blamed if he wants to move on to a bigger market. The Grizzlies will presumably have (or make moves to create) the salary cap room to add Durant and re-sign Conley to contracts that reflect their market value, perhaps as dual top priorities in free agency. But it takes two to tango, and if it comes down to Memphis as Durant’s most viable free agent option he’d be better off staying in Oklahoma City.
