The Kevin Durant Free Agency Sweepstakes have kicked into overdrive, with media reports linking the former MVP to the Los Angeles Lakers and defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors.
KD, however, says he’s not paying attention to any of it.
Twitter friendly transcript of Kevin Durant on the free agency chatter from this morning: pic.twitter.com/ckapGpR1hS
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 3, 2016
Kevin Durant addressing the Warriors rumor in particular pic.twitter.com/8bdBaV4h05
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 3, 2016
Durant, 27, claims that free agency chatter—or any basketball-related stuff off the court, for that matter—is something that’s never brought up within the OKC Thunder locker room.
Per The Oklahoman:
Free agency chatter has ramped back up in the last week, people linking you to the Lakers, to the Warriors. Any response to those rumors? […] Durant: “I blame it on you, man (laughs). Before you had a story out, nothing was happening and it was cool (referring to this story). Now I guess you could say it’s ramped up. That’s a part of it. That’s a part of this process. Everyone has to do their job. Of course the fans want to know what’s going on, but I can’t control that. I can’t control any of that. Just gotta work hard every single day, focus on what’s in front of me and not worry about what’s gonna happen down the line. All that stuff I can’t control. Like I said, when that time comes we’ll talk about it, but for right now, I’m 100 percent committed and locked in on being the best team and player I can be and helping my team try to get to a championship.”
Can any of this be a distraction to you, to the team, to anyone? […] Durant: “Nah, nobody talks about it here. We don’t even talk about basketball outside of the court. Free agency chatter, we don’t talk about that stuff. As soon as we walk out this court, it’s friendship and brotherhood. We don’t talk about basketball. It makes it easier when you have a group of guys that’s not always turnt on talking about basketball. Like I said, it’s something that’s out of my control. Guys are going to write stories on what they’re going to write about. I just try to stay locked in on where I am.”
Is it a surprise that the media has you linked to a team like the Warriors that’s already had success and has a championship? […] Durant: “I don’t know. I don’t know. I try to not even think about that. It’s a certain amount of teams, don’t matter if it’s a free agent now or 20 years down the line will be linked with those type of teams. I try not to worry about that. I know the position I’m in and I knew the position I’d be in before the season started. I knew that that stuff was coming and I prepared for it early on. Just try to worry about what I can control and that’s coming out and working hard every single day. Everything else that’s out of my control is not of my concern. Like I said, during the summer time, we’ll talk about that.”
