Kevin Durant will be a free agent come July 1, and it’s not a definite that he’ll re-sign with the Golden State Warriors. That’s in spite of majority owner Joe Lacob’s early season optimism that the Warriors will be able to convince their do-it-all forward to stay. The franchise, Lacob admits, aren’t sweating on the possibility of losing Durant (at least not yet) and will pitch him an offer at season’s end.

Then again, anything can happen in free agency. Ironically, Durant proved as much two summers ago when he bolted from the Oklahoma City Thunder — a rising power at that time — and signed with the already loaded Warriors. Durant’s arrival in the summer of 2016 proved to be what the doctor ordered for the Warriors, whose historic 2015–2016 season had ended in a whimper. The Warriors, as pointed out here, were making history that season, racing to a 45-4 recordat the All-Star break before finishing at 73-9. However, Stephen Curry and company couldn’t finish the job, losing in the Finals to LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers.

But with Durant around these past couple of seasons, the Warriors have won back-to-back Larry O’Brien trophies. Each time, the former Texas Longhorn has outdueled LeBron in the Finals, proving that he was the missing piece in the Warriors’ championship puzzle. Unfortunately for the Bay Area, that huge piece might take his act elsewhere this summer, with New York emerging as a likely destination. During October and November, Durant had been coy about his future plans, though he has been ornery of late when pressed about the Durant-to-the-Knicks rumors. What’s certain is that Durant can leave the Warriors this summer. Should that happen it would obviously be a big blow to the two-time defending champs as Durant is a transcendent talent. 

The good news is that the Warriors are fully capable of signing another superstar. They did it in 2013 when they signed Andre Iguodala. They did it in 2016 when they signed Durant. They did it again last summer when they signed DeMarcus Cousins. There’s no reason they can’t do it again this summer, especially if Durant leaves. The Warriors can do so because they have the depth to lure superstars to the Bay. They have a winning culture, strong leadership from the front office to the coaching staff, a spanking new arena in the Chase Center, and ownership willing to spend good money for great players. Not to mention, the Warriors already have a championship core, a fact that will greatly appeal to superstar free agents.

Now, re-signing Durant (and sharpshooter Kay Thompson) will surely be the priority. If that fails, the Warriors will have options and financial flexibility to sign free agents this summer and the next. But there’s plenty of basketball yet to be played this season, and a championship to be won for the Warriors. Durant is playing like his superstar self, and Curry is playing his best basketball since 2016. In other words, everything is clicking right now for the Champs by the Bay, which is why they’re pegged by bwin NBA as odds-on favorites to win the title. Durant will have plenty to say about that, and his big-game playmaking may be the difference between glory and disappointment, given the talented contenders the Dubs will be facing in the postseason. Also adding intrigue to this title run is the fact that a championship might be Durant’s last with the Warriors.