After Deron Williams and Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant talks with Besiktas – NBA Rumour
Kevin Durant is locked in negotiations to join a Turkish team next season as the NBA lockout drags on. This was revealed by his agent in a recent interview. Durant’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, also revealed that the Turkish team that was pursuing his client’s signature was the same one that has already secured New Jersey Nets star Deron Williams to a contract a month or so ago.
Besiktas, which is a major powerhouse in both Turkish football and basketball, has been openly looking to take advantage of the NBA lockout by gunning for some of the league’s biggest stars. Last season, they had iconic NBA player Allen Iverson on their books.
This time around, apart from the signing of Deron Williams, Besiktas have been hot on the trail of Los Angeles Lakers super star Kobe Bryant. The saga regarding the legendary shooting guard’s move to Besiktas has taken many turns, but the move has still not been completely ruled out.
However, if the approach for Kevin Durant is genuine, then it could mean an end to Besiktas’ interest in Bryant as it is hard to see how they would pay the lucrative salaries of three major NBA Stars.
Kevin Durant is a rising superstar in the league and his popularity has soared in the last couple of years. The Oklahoma City Thunder forward has led the league in scoring for the last 2 years and was selected to the All NBA First Team this season.
Durant also helped a young Oklahoma City side reach the Western Conference Finals last year. Although, they lost out to the Dallas Mavericks, Durant’s performances were still of the highest level.
The player has said in the past that he would be open to a move abroad because of the NBA lockout. Durant had reasoned that it was better for him to play professional basketball than lie idle in the United States waiting for the players and the NBA owners to come to an agreement over the labour dispute.
It is believed that apart from the interest from Besiktas, Durant has also courted admiring glances from teams in Russia and Spain. His agent though conceded that the Turkish team were at the forefront for the moment,
"The Turkish option is very intriguing," Goodwin said. "We're looking at other countries as well. Kevin hasn't agreed to play anywhere yet, but we're looking for the best fit."
Apart from Durant, shooting guard Jamal Crawford, who plays for the Atlanta Hawks, has also attracted interest from Turkey. Goodwin represents that player as well and said Turkish teams are more active than others so far,
"The Turkish teams," Goodwin said, "have been real aggressive."
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