Knicks Signing Durant Goes Against All Logic

As of this writing, it would appear that Kevin Durant will miss most, if not all of the 2019-20 season, which would seem to throw a major league monkey wrench into his free agency plans. Logic dictates that he will exercise his $31.5 million option for next season and wait until next summer because he'll never get that kind of payout through free agency now. Right?

Of course, you can't have logic without illogic. That part of the equation is provided in abundance by the many sports media talking heads and newspaper hacks because without it they can never fill a newspaper or a broadcast with enough quality information to warrant their careers. According to these so-called "experts" Durant is going to opt out anyway and that the Knicks, Nets, Lakers and Clippers should and will tender him max contract offers despite his long-term injury prognosis.

That's absurd enough, but there's no team that should avoid taking that kind of risk more than the Knicks because it's the kind of foolish move they've made in the past (Antonio McDyess in 2003 comes to mind). But that's only part of it.

The opinion here is that it would be absolutely ridiculous for the Knicks to sign damaged goods to a max contract and then have to wait a year while paying him millions not to play while he rehabs. Another consideration is Durant will be 32 on Opening Night 2020 and he has a lot of miles on his legs. 

[Illogic is taking a real beating here.]

The logical course of action for the Knicks is to ditch their plans for Durant and instead go after Kawhi Leonard, another unrestricted free agent superstar who's going completely ignored as the only viable option. He's three years younger than Durant and most importantly, he's healthy and can step right into the Knicks' lineup immediately. 

[See the simple logic here?]

The Knicks can not afford to screw up this time. Their winning percentage in this century is .416, worst in the league. They're coming off their second 65-loss season in five years under two regimes. They traded Kristaps Porzingis after he (justifiably) complained about the constant losing. Ironically, he was in the process of missing the entire season rehabbing a major knee injury. Why should Knick fans have to wait again with Durant's injury?

What it all comes down to is that signing Kevin Durant virtually guarantees at least another year to what's already been a long, agonizing wait for Knick fans for another championship caliber team.

Since the Knicks have a legendary embarrassing reputation for making illogical moves it's up to owner James Dolan to keep his nose out of things and let the current regime of team president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry, who've openly dedicated themselves to building a winner the right way, to follow through on their pledge. 

And that starts this summer by trying to sign Kawhi Leonard, not Kevin Durant. It's the logical thing to do.