If he does opt out, do the Knicks give the soon-to-be 31-year-old his max deal, knowing next season is in jeopardy and some big men never recover fully from such a devastating leg injury? Durant, who looked so good in that 11-point first quarter, may never be as dominant.
The only good news is – as The Post reported last week – Knicks officials fully expect a meeting with Kawhi Leonard. The star forward had the Raptors on the brink of a championship after scoring 12 straight points in the fourth quarter, but Toronto’s six-point lead evaporated in the final two and a half minutes of the 106-105 defeat. Still, Leonard is the clear favorite to win NBA Finals MVP if the Raptors can finish off the Warriors in Game 6 or 7. Leonard lived in northern Jersey with his uncle last season as he rehabbed from a quad injury and enjoyed it.
Broadcaster and former NFL receiver Cris Carter, who is a Leonard confidant, said it was an actual possibility for Leonard and Durant to hook up in New York.
That’s not happening now.
Knicks' path to Anthony Davis just got a lot more complicated
On the free-agent landscape, point guard Kemba Walker has given off heavy vibes he’s happy in Charlotte, where all the money is. The Knicks never made a single inquiry for Jimmy Butler when he was on the trading block, so it doesn’t appear they consider him a franchise-changer in the way Leonard is and Durant was.
Meanwhile, the Knicks could trade several young assets, including their No. 3 pick that could turn into RJ Barrett, for Anthony Davis. But even if they do so, it may not even make them a playoff team if Davis doesn’t have a star partner.
According to a source, the Pelicans need a third team with the Knicks in a trade more than any other potential club in the mix. Pelicans brass doesn’t find all the Knicks’ young assets attractive enough for a package.
The Pelicans also want an All-Star player involved in a deal, but New Orleans also desperately seeks a young potential top-15 guy and don’t know if the Knicks actually have one on their roster.
Kevin Knox is the closest to a potential All-Star, but he went through a rollercoaster rookie season. According to a source, the Pelicans consider the Celtics to have the best young assets.
All along, the Knicks have not had all their eggs in one basket despite the good feelings they got about landing Durant. They can still use their cap space to acquire another star player, aside from Davis, in a trade.
However, maybe the answer is for the Knicks to continue the slow rebuild, draft Barrett, tank in 2019-20, add another lottery pick and go after Durant in 2020.
https://nypost.com/2019/06/11/mulling-knicks-possibilities-after-kevin-durants-crushing-injury/?