The Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving free agency hype is reaching a fever pitch, and the Knicks are heavily involved

• The impending free agency of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving has been a major talking point in the NBA all season.
• Despite both players playing for great teams, there have been persistent rumors that they could leave, with the New York Knicks frequently mentioned as a possible destination.
• Rumors, reports, and more have left the NBA world with a trail of bread crumbs to follow and speculate on the futures of both stars.

The NBA playoffs are here, but two of the biggest stories in the league remain the futures of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

Both are set to become free agents in what is shaping up to be a stacked free agent class in 2019.

Over the course of the season, rumors have continued to pile on over whether both stars would leave their respective teams in free agency, possibly to team up. The New York Knicks are frequently mentioned as a potential landing spot. Both players’ actions throughout the season have only added fuel to the fire.

Here’s why the free agency hype is building:

The futures of Durant and Irving have been a subject of interest dating back to last summer.

Durant and Irving both have the option of becoming free agents this season. While both could opt into contract options to remain with the Warriors and Celtics, respectively, many have assumed they will explore their options on the open market.

There were signs suggesting that all was not well with the Warriors and Durant dating back to last season.

Since joining the Warriors, Durant has signed “1+1” contracts — one-year deals with a player option for a second year.

The deals do not give the Warriors a long-term commitment. They’ve helped set Durant up to make more money, but they’ve also kept his options open each summer.

After the 2017-18 season, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told ESPN’s Zach Lowe on a podcast that he had a one-on-one meeting with Durant during the season because he sensed Durant “drifting.”Lowe wrote separately that he believes the Warriors were somewhat nervous that Durant might leave. He, of course, did not.

Things turned awkward at the Warriors championship parade, when there were several jokes about Durant’s contract status, none of which seemed to amuse Durant.

First, GM Bob Myers joked that Stephen Curry could have any contract he wants because he had been there for the whole run. He said Durant could not.

Then, the event’s emcee, Bob Fitzgerald of NBC Sports, joked that he wanted to be near Durant “before his Warrior exit.” Durant shook his head on stage.

Read more: The Warriors baffled the NBA world with several awkward comments about Kevin Durant’s next contract

Meanwhile, in Boston, there was speculation about Irving’s future. Irving reportedly had eyed joining the Knicks. He grew up in North Jersey, not far from New York.

However, at a Celtics season-ticket holder event before the season, Irving told fans he planned to re-sign in Boston at the end of the season.

Further reports indicated that Irving and the Celtics had informally discussed long-term deals.

Murmurs about Durant’s future continued. Before the season, ESPN’s NBA insider Zach Lowe predicted Durant would join the Knicks in free agency.

Source:ESPN

The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson predicted that this would be Durant’s last season with the Warriors.

Source:The Athletic

There are some eyebrow-raising connections between Durant and the Knicks.

Durant’s agent, Rich Kleiman is from New York. He once tweeted that he one day wants to run the Knicks.

Source:Twitter

Knicks GM Scott Perry was in the Seattle SuperSonics’ front office when they drafted Durant in 2007. He and Durant were reportedly close.

Things turned ugly for the Warriors on November 12, when Draymond Green and Kevin Durant got into an on-court spat that boiled over into the locker room.

The incident occurred when Durant chastised Green for not passing him the ball for a game-winning shot.

Green shot back at Durant, reportedly claiming Durant wasn’t part of the team’s future, so he should just leave. He reportedly told Durant the team didn’t need him.

Read more:We’re learning more about what Draymond Green told Kevin Durant during their blow-up, and now teams are circling the Warriors to see what happens next

Like lip-reading? Some believe that right after the argument, Durant was seen on the court saying, “This is why I’m out.”

The Warriors suspended Green for the incident. Fair or not, it was seen as a message that Durant was of utmost importance to the organization.

Things then went dormant for a bit afterward. Durant and the Warriors regrouped. Irving and the Celtics got off to a rocky start, but there was not much more than speculation about both players’ futures.

Then, in late January, the New York Knicks made the move that created massive free agency buzz by trading Kristaps Porzingis.

The Knicks previously had nearly enough cap space for one superstar. By trading Porzingis, along with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee, while not taking back any salary, the Knicks created enough cap space for two superstars.

Read more:The Knicks’ blockbuster trade of Kristaps Porzingis is either a hint at a huge upcoming summer or a massive failure

Alarms rang throughout the league that the Knicks had a real shot at landing Durant and Irving in the offseason. Why trade the superstar you have in Porzingis just for the possibility of signing two superstars?

Various reports backed this up. The New York Times’ Marc Stein reported that the threat of Durant leaving never felt more real to the Warriors.

From Stein:

“In my discussions with rival team executives, I’ve heard from many more who praise the trade — believing the Knicks must have some promising inside information about their ability to lure the likes of Durant and Irving — than from those questioning how much the Knicks received in return.

“I can also pass along that the threat of the Knicks’ persuading Durant to leave one of the most dominant teams in league history has never felt more real to the Warriors themselves.”

Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck reported that one league executive believed the Knicks already knew they were getting Durant.

From Beck:

“‘The only reason you can justify doing it,’ the same exec said of dumping Porzingis, ‘is you have some level of certainty in your own mind that you’re getting KD and Kyrie, or KD and whatever.’

“Others were more blunt. ‘It means they’re pretty sure they’re getting KD,’ said a rival exec who believes the Knicks have already been told Durant is coming.”

Sam Amick of The Athletic told Colin Cowherd that people in Durant’s camp have talked about him going to New York in “alarming” terms.

The Athletic’s Ethan Strauss wrote after the trade that people on the Warriors think Durant is leaving.

From Strauss:

“Let us be frank, with the caveat that the choice lives inside the head of one guy who can and does change his mind: Insiders around the league think Kevin Durant is leaving the Warriors for the Knicks. Most people within the Warriors either think Durant is leaving or profess not to know one way or the other. His teammates recognize this reality, can handle it and merely want one outcome: Win a championship, absent too much drama. The main concern, at the moment, is whether he’ll commit in the short term to what he may have already left in the long term.”

Strauss also wrote that Durant wishes to be recognized as the best player in the NBA, something that may be difficult so long as the Warriors remain the most stacked team in the league.

Following the Porzingis trade, Durant didn’t speak to media for several days. When he finally did, he snapped, questioning the motives of the media and saying he had nothing to do with the Porzingis trade.

Read more: Kevin Durant broke a 9-day silence to bash the media over free agency speculation: ‘I just don’t trust none of y’all’

Meanwhile, in Boston, the Celtics’ struggles played an important part in the buzz about Irving’s future. Some wondered if this was going to be a long-term marriage after all.

Irving himself added fuel to the fire when he seemingly reneged on his preseason commitment to the Celtics.

On February 1, before a game against the Knicks, Irving was asked about re-signing with Boston and said he didn’t “owe anyone s—.” Irving said he would do what’s best for his family and told reporters to ask him his feelings on his future on July 1.

Read more:Kyrie Irving said he doesn’t ‘owe anyone s—‘ when asked if he’ll stay with the Celtics, as rumors of a move to the Knicks mount

A report in early March said that Irving had become “disengaged and detached” from the Celtics this season.

Source:The Ringer

The Athletic’s Frank Isola wrote in April, that some NBA executives are so sure Durant and Irving are joining the Knicks, that there is a belief the two players are arguing about who signs first.

From Isola:

“So sure are some executives and player agents of a Durant-Irving pairing in New York that one agent told The Athletic that Durant and Irving are debating on who will sign first. Why is that important? The player that is signed second is viewed as the follower, not the leader.”

Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck later told Rich Eisen that he had never heard rumors so “definitive” about a player’s free agency as he has with Durant.

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, who has done several long, exclusive interviews with Durant and Kleiman, said he would “bet the house” on Durant joining the Knicks.

In a recent clip from a “60 Minutes” episode on the Warriors, some noted that Durant’s reaction to the idea of joining another team seemed suspicious.

The friendship between Durant and Irving, themselves has only added to the speculation. Over the All-Star Weekend, the two players were frequently seen hanging out together.

Their gallivanting at All-Star Weekend included a light-hearted game of one-on-one…

And Irving being the last remaining player on the floor for Durant’s All-Star MVP speech.

It also featured a fairly nondescript hallway conversation that nonetheless generated speculation.

Some people thought Irving was talking about two max cap space slots — a reference to the Knicks.

Irving later criticized the media for the attention the video received.

After the Celtics visited the Warriors in March, The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami noted that Durant sought out Irving and had a long, friendly talk with him on the floor.

Source: Tim Kawakami/Twitter

Durant has stoked the fire a few times this season with comments that suggested his unhappiness with the Warriors.

After a loss, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said the Warriors needed to play with more “anger.” Durant responded by noting that Kerr usually tells the Warriors to play with “joy.”

“I thought we moved off joy. Now anger? I disagree with that one,” Durant said.

In light of the incident, Chris Haynes of Yahoo reported that some members of the Warriors think Durant’s behavior could be a sign he already has “one foot out the door.”

Source: Yahoo

This season, Durant and Kleiman opened up an office for Durant’s off-court business, Thirty Five Ventures … in New York City.

The Knicks have not exactly been shy about their pursuit of two stars either. In a letter to season-ticket holders, team president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry said the team has the cap space to lure two star free agents.

The letter read:

“We have created a tremendous amount of financial flexibility, which has put us in a position to potentially sign up to two max free agents … Most importantly, we will use our cap space diligently and only on players who believe in our plan and are committed to building the New York Knicks into the championship team that you deserve.”

Source: New York Post

Knicks owner James Dolan took is a step further during a radio interview with Michael Kay when he said the Knicks have been told they’re getting free agents.

“New York is the mecca of basketball. We hear from people all the time, from players and representatives about who wants to come,” Dolan said in March. “We can’t respond because of the NBA rules, etc. But that doesn’t stop them from telling us, and they do. I can tell you, from what we’ve heard, I think we’re gonna have a very successful offseason when it comes to free agents.”

The Knicks aren’t the only possible landing spot, however. The Brooklyn Nets have a talented young core that made the playoffs this year, the cap space to sign free agents, and the same intriguing market as the Knicks.

The Los Angeles Clippers also have large amounts of cap space, a talented young core who’s made the playoffs, a respected front office, and a desirable market.

And LeBron James’ Lakers will be in the hunt for big free agents, too…

Ultimately, the playoffs could play a huge role in the futures of both players.

Some believe that Durant may only be comfortable leaving the Warriors if they win another championship. Just as he joined them because they lost in the 2016 Finals, he may leave them if they win three straight championships, believing he’s achieved everything he wanted with them.

Conversely, the Celtics’ playoff success could play a huge role in Irving’s decision. If the Celtics regroup and contend for a championship, he may re-sign in Boston, not wanting to leave a young, growing, talented team. But if the Celtics lose in the second round, that would be a disappointment and may cause him to go elsewhere.

Free agency is still three months away, but the speculation won’t die down any time soon.

Now, take a look at how some of the NBA’s superstars have grown…

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