Kevin Durant could sign with Under Armour for $30 million a year, could help Wizards in pursuit of MVP
2014-08-06 11:59
Kevin Durant will not reach the free agent market until July 2016 but the NBA's Most Valuable Player is on the brink of acquiring a blockbuster sanction deal which could affect his future on the court as well. Nike and Adidas are also in talks with Durant, whose combination of splendor on the court and marketability in the consequences of his emotional MVP address has made him the darling of Madison Avenue. "Nike has been part of me ever since I was in high school and have already been amazing since I have been in the league but I am simply going to let my team be the ones who handle that behind the scenes, I imagine," Durant told ESPN last week. "When you examine stuff like this, it's great problems to have because air jordan 5 retro.ndividuals desire you for what you know and do on t nike air jordan 3.e basketball court, the work you put in, so I'm going to continue to put my work in, make them focus on that on the opposite end, and we'll come together at some point." A deal with Under Armour is also advantageous to the Washington Wizards, one of several teams, including the Knicks and Nets, putting themselves in position financially to make a run at Durant in two summers. Wizards owner Ted Leonsis and Under Armour Founder/CEO Kevin Plank, a University of Maryland grad, have been involved in several philanthropic attempts in the D.C. region. A potential Durant deal with Under Armour doesn't guarantee the Wizards landing Durant but for the star crossed franchise any connection to the Maryland/D.C. region doesn't hurt either. The Wizards have two youthful guards, All Star John Wall and Bradley Beal, who could help lure Durant back home. In addition, the Wizards recently hired David Adkins as a player development assistant, a transaction which mostly went unnoticed. "I grew up observing the Wizards, (the) Bullets-Wizards," Durant told the Washington Post last week in Vegas. "I grew up taking the train to that arena on a regular basis. I saw Georgetown, I observed the Bullets, I observed the (WNBA's) Mystics, in order that entire city is a part of me, is in my blood. Like I said, I love going back home to see my family and stuff and playing there, but I adore Oklahoma City also." Durant's feelings for Oklahoma City and the Thunder organization were apparent during his MVP address when he choked back tears several times when discussing his teammates, coaching staff and Thunder owner Clayton Bennett. The Thunder may have the opportunity to offer Durant the most money and if the team should happen to win an NBA title within the next two seasons that would make it that much more difficult for Durant to walk away. But teams may also be planning for chance of Durant leaving for a larger marketplace and many consider they have an edge over the competition. The Knicks are coached by Durant's former teammate Derek Fisher while team president Phil Jackson will be selling Durant on the chance to play alongside Carmelo Anthony. The Brooklyn Nets could have a pal in Jay Z, who once held a minority position in the team and is currently the creator of Roc Nation, the service that signed Durant as a client. Additionally, Jay Z hired Michael Yormark, formerly the CEO of the NHL's Florida Panthers, to become his President and Chief of Branding and Strategy at Roc Nation. Yormark's twin brother, Brett, is the CEO of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center. cheap air jordans. The Lakers will have the cap space to sign Durant in two years which is also when Kobe Bryant's current contract expires. In the period of 13 months, the Lakers lost Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol to free agency and neglected to land either LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony. Their brand has taken a significant hit but the inclusion of Durant, who spends part of the offseason in L.A., would change the direction of the franchise. The Heat lost James last month but team president Pat Riley has stated that Miami intends to be big players in free agency in two years. That's code for "Kevin Durant" the player apparel companies desire supporting their shoes in addition to the MVP that a dozen or so teams are desperate to sign.
