OKLAHOMA CITY -- After being eliminated in Game 7 by the Golden State Warriors, the Oklahoma City Thunder held their annual exit interviews Wednesday, and all eyes were on free-agent-to-be Kevin Durant.
Durant spoke to the media for almost 20 minutes, admitting he was uncomfortable talking about his future, but said he'll take the next month to sort through his options and discuss what his next move is.
"I want some time to really decompress and reflect on the season so I can move on with the summer and move on with this whole process," he said. "So it may seem like I'm not talking, I'm not giving information, or whatever, but I'm just really trying to make sure I tie everything up properly and make this thing right."
For the first time in his nine-year career, Durant is an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and virtually every team in the league has a desire to give him its pitch. Durant, though, suggested he isn't all that interested in being courted or recruited, saying that's not his personality.
"I never said that. That's not who I am," he said. "Whatever this thing entails, I'm ready to take it head on, but I'm not that type of person. ... Like I said, the two most important things for me is being around great people and having fun playing basketball. All that other stuff that comes with, being who I am and being in this position, it's not really what I'm concerned with. So I never said that, obviously. You could say that about any player in this position, but yeah."
Asked what is most important to him in a future team or contract, Durant said he hasn't compiled a list yet, but mentioned that "culture" and the people he interacts with every day will be a big part of his decision.
"Just being around great people, being in a great basketball environment, that's the two most important things for me," Durant said. "That's all I really care about. Who I'm going to be doing life with every single day, who I'm going to be playing basketball with every day."
Durant said he will take the next month to weigh his options and discuss them with his tight inner circle. He said he was proud of the way he was able to "stay in the moment," and avoid the distractions
The speculation from many league insiders is Durant will strongly consider a one-year contract (with likely a player option on Year 2), because that will allow him to reach 10-year veteran status in 2017. With the rising salary cap, Durant could stand to earn an extra $85 million by delaying a long-term contract until next summer.
"It's too soon, bro," Durant said of that idea. "I really haven't thought about that. I'm sure I'll talk to who I need to talk to to figure out the numbers and all that stuff that goes on. But right now, like I say, I'm still reflecting. I'm still in Game 7 mode right now. I'm still trying to get out of that and just reflect on the year and hanging out with my teammates these next few days while we're all here in OKC. I think that's what I'm really focused on right now. But like I say, after I've had a few weeks to really wind down a bit, then I'll start having those discussions."
That would also align him with the free agency of Russell Westbrook. Asked if he'd consult Westbrook, Durant said, "Obviously, I want to ask for advice, but I also want to make a decision that's best for me. I'm sure at some point me and Russell will sit down and talk, but he's putting no pressure on me. He's been just great in this whole thing and just being my friend. I think that's one thing I needed throughout the whole year, throughout this whole process is just people to be my friend and worry about me as a person."
Westbrook, though, said he'd give Durant space to make his decision.
"No, not now," Westbrook said when asked if he'll talk to Durant about free agency. "I mean, I plan to just enjoy our break, plan to just enjoy this time to decompress and just have some time to chill."
Westbrook said he isn't nervous about the prospect of Durant potentially leaving the Thunder.
"I mean, Kevin is a guy that obviously myself and another guy we want back here at the Oklahoma City Thunder," Westbrook said. "But at the same time, he has to make a decision that's best for him and what best fits him. But Kevin, like I said, has always been like a brother to me, so regardless of what happens, we're always going to be friends, and everything is going to work out."
The Thunder won 55 games this season and made a somewhat surprising run to the Western Conference finals, beating the 67-win Spurs and then pushing the 73-win Warriors to a Game 7. The Thunder led 3-1 on the Warriors, but lost the final three games, including Game 6 at home after holding a lead in the fourth quarter. And with a roster of primarily players under the age of 25, Durant likes the future.
"I like how those guys played," he said. "I think the next phase for all of us is what are our decisions going to be this summer? We'll work on our game but come back even better, or are we going to be excited about what we did and be complacent, or are we going to want more? I think that's the next step for us all is thinking how we can all be better."
There's a natural anxiety surrounding the team with the uncertainty of Durant's future. Though his teammates are confident Durant will be back next season.
"I have confidence," Serge Ibaka. "Where he going to go? Tell me. After what we did in the playoffs this year, where? If he gonna go somewhere, where?"
Nick Collison, who has played longer with Durant than any other player and said he'll give Durant the space to make a decision, admitted to being anxious about seeing how the next month is going to play out.
"Kevin is so important to this place, and this team," he said. "For us, we need him back."
"You can look Kevin in his eyes, you can hear him talk about OKC," Randy Foye said, "and you know where his heart is at."
Durant built a strong connection with first-year head coach Billy Donovan, but Donovan said he won't be spending the offseason reverting back to his college days and going on the recruiting trail.
"I have nothing to do with this. This is Kevin's decision. I don't think it's about me posing a pitch," Donovan said. "Kevin's very bright. He obviously has had incredible impact on this community and this organization. And obviously, the organization, the community love him a great deal as well. This is about Kevin - and if he needed anything from me, I would be there to talk to him about anything. But this is about what Kevin wants to do, and it's his decision."
Durant has spent eight of his nine seasons in Oklahoma City (he played his rookie year in Seattle before the team relocated), and with other cities possessing traditionally more desired free agent qualities, Durant described OKC as "home."
"I've been here for eight years and the time has flown by," he said. "Time flies when you're having fun, that's what I heard. And time has gone past so quickly I've learned so much about myself by being here as a basketball player and as a man. I've been through a lot of different experiences just in this city. Something I'm always going to remember."
With Durant, they've won more games than the every team but the Spurs since 2012, have been to four of the past six conference finals, and one NBA Finals. But the Thunder haven't punched that final ticket. Durant obviously wants a championship, but that's not the only thing he's looking for in his decision.
"Like I said, the most important thing for me is the type of people I'm going to be around every single day," he said. "If I'm enjoying playing basketball, that's what I'm really -- that's the thing I really want to center everything around. I love my teammates here. I love playing basketball here. So that's what's important to me.
"Obviously, winning a championship is what we all want to do, but at the same time, you want to be around good people," he said. "You want to be in a good environment with a good culture. That's what's most important to me."