While the focus of the NBA offseason will be largely cast on the impending free agency of two-time MVP Stephen Curry, there are a growing number of NBA players that have the opportunity to enter the market with player options in the final years of their contracts. The player options provide the player with an enormous amount of freedom as they can pick up the option in the case of injury or a down season, but can also terminate the contract and seek more years and dollars after coming off of an impressive season. This was a clause that Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James used in his first two years in Cleveland, but after signing a three-year, $99.85 million contract last offseason, James will not be able to enter free agency until 2018 and won’t be included in this list.
While neither Curry nor James will be entering free agency through opting out of their contracts, for different reasons, there are a number of talented players that have the opportunity to do so and everyone on the list likely will. Below are the Top 5 players that have the option to opt out of their contracts at the conclusion of the NBA Finals and are expected to be on the free agent market sooner rather than later.
Kevin Durant - Forward, Golden State Warriors
Kevin Durant shockingly came to the Warriors the last offseason after spending his last eight seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder. It was especially shocking to see Durant leave for Golden State as his Thunder were ahead of the Warriors by three games to one in the Western Conference Finals but ultimately lost three hard fought games in a row to drop the series and narrowly miss another trip to the NBA Finals.
While Durant has stated his intention to stay in Golden State past this season, he signed a two-year, $54,274,505 million contract that is paying him $26,540,100 for the 2016-17 season. Durant is due to make over $27.7 million next season in Golden State, but with the rising salary cap, Durant included a player option for the second year in his contract signed last year that gave him the opportunity to re-enter the free agent market this summer. While he likely has had the intention of becoming a free agent in 2017, he was limited to just 27 games during the 2014-15 season due to a broken right foot suffered in the early stages of the season.
While it would be very difficult to see Durant playing anywhere but Golden State for the 2017-18 season, he was largely expected to re-sign with the Thunder around this time last year. Durant could see the max annual contract next season of $36 million per year, but with Curry also a free agent for Golden State that would require the team to shed additional salary cap since they don’t own his Bird Rights after only playing with the team for one season.
This would likely lead to renouncing the rights to free agents Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala, who will also enter the market at season's end. Durant can seek a strict 20% raise for next season, which would bump his salary up to $31.8 million next season and that is largely what he is expected to do so the team can retain its other talent.
Durant has earned over $132.1 million during his 10 year NBA career.
Blake Griffin - Forward, Los Angeles Clippers