Talks of Kevin Durant leaving the OKC Thunder surfaced after the MVP recently turned 26 years old.
Kevin Durant was interviewed by USA Today Sports regarding his basketball future and how he feels about his current team.
During the interview, the MVP said, "We'll keep dancing around, and by the time it comes it's going to be even more awkward than it was, so it's not a surprise because everybody wants to know. But I'm taking it day by day with the Oklahoma City Thunder. That's my main concern. And whatever the future holds, I don't know, because I can't tell you the future. I'm going to take it a day at a time. I enjoy being here. I enjoy my teammates. I like the direction we're going in, and that's not just a cliché answer. That's real."
But the NBA star made it clear that he loves Oklahoma City, and considers it home.
"I've been here for seven years now...growing up in this city. When you spend so much time in one place, you feel a part of it, especially with some great years you feel a part of it. It's a huge part of my life, and I can't just come here and punch the clock, saying, 'Oh, I can't wait until July comes so I can leave'. I never felt that way."
He added, "I love OKC. I always wanted to be a part of something bigger than just basketball. And what I told myself coming into the league was, 'This city is going to adopt me, I'm going to adopt this city, and we're going to grow together'."
While he didn't deny leaving the team in the future, Durant did confirm he will be staying in OKC in the meantime and it would be premature to start considering his options when he enters free agency in 2016. Pro Basketball Talk writes that it would be more viable for Durant to re-sign with the team, considering that he gets more money in the process, just like how Carmelo Anthony re-signed with the New York Knicks.
The OKC Thunder also shared the same sentiment about KD. General manager Sam Presti said, "We know it's there, and we are looking forward to it - the opportunity to re-sign a legacy player - especially when you consider where our team could be at that point, with two more years of experience and cohesion and taking that into account."
Presti added, "We have to honor the season in front of us, because we have a tremendous opportunity to win right now and continue to build the tradition of the Thunder. We are fortunate to be in this position, and we want to capture and respect this moment. We have to put that anticipation in its place for now and not allow ourselves to get distracted from the present, regardless of what the future could look like for Kevin and the organization he has built with us, brick by brick."