All-Star Durant looks to retirement – in a few years

NEW YORK: Kevin Durant has won back-to-back NBA championships, two Finals MVP awards and a regular-season MVP, and has nine AllStar appearances.

On Monday, Durant, who turns 30 in September, told ESPN that he is thinking ahead towards retirement.

“Thirty-five, that’s just a number in my mind.”

Durant, who has worn the No. 35 all throughout his career with Texas, Oklahoma City and now Golden State, averaged 28.8 points during the Warriors’ four-game sweep of Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, which ended on Friday.

Durant scored a career playoff-high 43 points in Game 3.

Over two seasons with Golden State, Durant has averaged 25.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists.

Durant is scheduled to become a free agent this offseason but has already said he plans to remain with the Warriors. He could sign a maximum five-year deal in July.

If Kevin Love had his choice, he would play the rest of his NBA career alongside superstar LeBron James.

They’re still teammates on the Cavaliers – but that could change soon if James decides to leave Cleveland in free agency, which begins July 1.

“Obviously, I’d love to play with LeBron the rest of my career but that will be a choice that he makes,” Love told WKYC TV in Cleveland.

Love has spent the last four seasons with James in Cleveland, winning a championship with James in 2016.

James has a player option to remain with the Cavaliers for the 2018-2019 season worth more than US$35mil (RM140mil), according to contract website Spotrac, but is widely expected to test free agency, with Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs, among the teams reported to have the heaviest interest.