Kevin Durant just gave a huge hint that he's going to stay with the Warriors for a long time and it could come with another huge discount

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March 3, 2018 2:21 PM

Kevin Durant could opt out of his contract this summer and command a huge raise.

Kevin Durant accepted a big discount this past summer to help the Golden State Warriors' keep their core together.
Durant still has one year left on his contract, but could opt out this summer and command a huge raise.
While Durant says he doesn't know what will happen yet, he just dropped a huge hint that he will re-sign with the Warriors and it could come with another big discount if needed.

Kevin Durant can be a free agent again soon, and while he is unlikely to consider leaving the Golden State Warriors, he just dropped the biggest hint yet that he is willing to accept another big discount to keep their dominant lineup together.

Durant has one year and $26.3 million left on his current deal, but he can opt out this summer and sign a new contract. If he did, Durant would eligible to sign a 4-year, max-level contract that could come with a $10 million raise next season and would be worth in the neighborhood of $160 million overall.

In an interview with Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Durant was asked about his next contract and he made it clear that he wants to stay with the Warriors for a long time and that the dollar value is not the priority.

"Who knows?" Durant said. "The money is not important to me. I've made so much over my career. But I do know that I want to be here, I love playing here."

Durant was then asked about taking another discount to help keep the key pieces together. Durant signed a contract this past summer for about $9.5 million less than he was eligible and seemed more than willing to take another discount.

"Who knows how I'll feel?" Durant said. "Who knows what'll happen, what we'll need at that time? But like I said, money is not my concern, I'm concerned with my joy and happiness. I made so much money — to be honest, I could live off what I've made forever."

Of course, the easiest thing to do in the near future is for Durant to just play next season under the current contract, essentially giving the Warriors another approximately $10 million discount for next season. He could then see what the team needs in the summer of 2019.

But eventually, Durant is going to need a new contract and it will have a huge impact on the future finances of the team.

After the Warriors handed out $334 million in contracts this past summer, even with Durant's discount, they have about $125 million committed to just their top six players for the 2018-19 season. That total alone puts them, not only above the projected salary cap of $102 million, but also above the projected luxury-tax level of $124 million with half their roster still needing to be filled out.

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