In 2016, Kevin Durant rented a $15.5 Million Hamptons mansion for 10 days to meet teams during his free agency
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The NBA is, despite often calling itself a big family, at the end of the day, a business. Front offices often make changes on their roster, be it players or coaches, depending on how the team’s doing. As of late, players have had a lot of say in the same as well. With player options in the contract and getting stars involved in front office decisions, players are getting more power to themselves.
Free agency can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. For some, it’s a way to find a new home, for others, it’s a way to leverage their skills into earning the biggest check possible.
In the summer of 2016, we had perhaps the hottest free agent appear on the market. Kevin Durant, after his 5 years in Oklahoma City, was a free agent. Every team in the NBA wanted a shot at getting arguably the greatest scorer in NBA History.
Kevin Durant paid around $100K for 10 days for a Hamptons mansion
In 2016, Kevin Durant was a free agent, and he knew the kind of interest he would draw. In order to meet with teams and their representatives, KD rented a $15.5 million mansion in the Hamptons. There, he met with multiple teams, and his free agency lasted a whole 10 days before he knew where his next home would be.
After meeting with the Warriors, it took 10 days for KD and his team to announce that he was taking his talents to the Bay.
On July 4, 2016, @KDTrey5 shook up the NBA by announcing that he was signing with Golden State. Two rings, two Finals MVPs in three seasons—not bad. pic.twitter.com/xEtovGtvjp
— Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) July 4, 2020
KD shelled $100K for those 10 days, but ended up gaining way more, both financially, and championships-wise.
The whole transaction got him a 2-year, $54.25 million deal with the Dubs. He signed 2 more small duration deals with the Dubs, and played 3 seasons with them. In those 3 seasons, they won 2 championships, made it to 3 Finals, and KD won 2 Finals MVPs.
The Warriors then helped KD get the max money he could get, by indulging in a sign-and-trade with the Brooklyn Nets.