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Kevin Durant injury alters betting odds of Warriors return, Knicks acquisition

By Alex Butler
Kevin Durant won two championships in his first two seasons with the Golden State Warriors. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI
Kevin Durant won two championships in his first two seasons with the Golden State Warriors. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo

June 13 (UPI) -- Kevin Durant's unfortunate Achilles rupture during the 2019 NBA Finals has altered the betting odds when it comes to his next destination.

Durant has a $31.5 million player option for next season. He cashed in for $30 million during his 2018-219 campaign with the Golden State Warriors. The 10-time All-Star and two-time NBA Finals MVP averaged 26 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game this season.

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He had been logging a career-high 32.3 points per game this postseason before picking up a strained calf during a Western Conference semifinals game on May 8 against the Houston Rockets. Durant made a dramatic return during Game 5 of the NBA Finals, but lasted just 12 minutes before exiting with the Achilles rupture.

He had surgery Wednesday and will miss the remainder of the NBA Finals. The Toronto Raptors own a 3-2 series lead entering Game 6, which tips off at 9 p.m. EDT on Thursday in Oakland.

The Warriors and New York Knicks now have equal odds of landing Durant in 2019-2020 at 3-2, according to BetOnline.AG sports book. The Los Angeles Clippers have the third-best shot of landing Durant at 3-1. LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers have the fourth-best chance at landing Durant at 10-1, the same odds as the Brooklyn Nets.

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The sports book gives Durant's former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, 100-1 odds at landing the superstar.

Before the injury, the sports book had the Knicks as the best bet to land Durant next season at 6-5. The Clippers had the second-best odds at 17-10. The Warriors were previously the third-best best to have Durant next season at 2-1.

Durant is just one of many highly-valued free agents likely to hit the market this off-season, but he is likely looking at nine to 12 months of recovery time for his injury. Warriors star Klay Thompson is also a free agent this off-season, as is DeMarcus Cousins.

Andre Iguodala, Draymond Green and Shaun Livingston each have one year remaining on their contracts with Golden State.

Durant has until June 29 to decide if he wants to opt into the final year of his deal with the Warriors.

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