The biggest prize on the NBA free agent market has announced he's jumping ship, with former Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant joining the Golden State Warriors.
Durant, a four-times league scoring champion and seven-times All-Star who spent the first nine years of his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder franchise, joins a Warriors team that won the NBA title in 2015 and finished runner-up in 2016.
Durant spurned offers from the Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.
"It really pains me to know that I will disappoint so many people with this choice, but I believe I am doing what I feel is the right thing at this point in my life and my playing career," Durant wrote on The Players' Tribune.
The signing coup could have ramifications for the Warriors' Australian centre Andrew Bogut, who is likely to be traded in order to clear enough cap space to allow for the Durant signing.
Durant, 27, is likely to sign a two-year, $54.3 million ($75.11m NZD) contact with the Warriors, which would include a player option after the first year.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was in Hawaii and said he learned about Durant's decision to join Golden State through The Players' Tribune article, ESPN reported.
Newshub / Reuters