The Perfect Team Around Kevin Durant ($100 Million Budget)

Kevin Durant is one of the best all-around players of all-time. With an MVP, a couple of scoring titles, and two NBA rings, Durant is still trying to chase down a few more titles and cement his legacy as one of the best players of all-time. Currently, Durant is hoping to chase down a title with James Harden and Kyrie Irving with the Brooklyn Nets.

What if Durant’s team had $100 million and took away the massive contracts that both Harden and Irving have? Starting with Durant, it’s time to build depth and make a superteam with Durant as the face of the franchise.

Rules:

Best Player From Team Automatically Chosen: Kevin Durant

Maximum 4 Players From Any Team

Maximum 3 Rookie Players

Maximum $100 Million Salary Cap

Guards

Devin Booker – $29,467,800

If the supporting cast is going to be upgraded, then there is no room for a $41 million contract from James Harden. While that type of production is hard to replace, we save $10 million with the addition of Devin Booker, who made his first All-Star team last year. Booker averaged 26.6 points, 6.5 assists, and 4.2 rebounds last season for the Suns. Booker can provide the same type of shooting as Harden and can set his teammates up. Booker is not a triple-double type of player like Harden but he is about three-fourths of an MVP-like player.

Collin Sexton – $4,991,880

Every great team needs a superstar in the making for a cheap price. In this case, Sexton is going to be our steal of the team. For under $5 million, Sexton provides 24.2 points per game, 4.1 assists, and shoots 44% from the three-point range. If Sexton played a role with this team, his point would likely go down but that’s a given with two proven options in Durant and Booker. Sexton has done most of his dirty work with an unproven Cleveland Cavaliers squad the last three seasons, so imagine what Sexton could do with a superstar cast surrounding him.

Marcus Smart – $12,946,428

Before we get to the other guards on the team, Smart could be the team’s starting point guard but could be the first option off the bench. Smart owns a career average of 10.0 points per game but his defensive tenacity is what makes him appealing to this team. The team needs a lockdown defender and it begins with Smart, who has made back-to-back First-Team All-Defensive squads. With the other guards on the team, Smart would likely come off the bench but has the skillset to close out games in big moments.

Jalen Brunson – $1,663,861

For this team, Brunson would be the third guard off the bench and could provide solid production in 10 minutes of play. Brunson is shooting a career-high 39.1% from three-point range. He has carved out a role as a backup point guard for the Dallas Mavericks, sometimes even starting. Either way, for a cheap price, we need quality members at the end of the bench. Brunson was an NCAA National Champion at Villanova and brings a winning mentality.

Forwards

Kevin Durant – $39,058,950

Durant is on pace this season to win the MVP. Through 17 games, Durant is averaging 30.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. It appears that the Achillies injury he suffered in 2019 is fully healed. Currently, Durant is monitoring his minutes but he is the best player on the floor when he is healthy. With Mitchell and Booker paired alongside Durant, this “Big Three” would have a feel like his day in Golden State when Durant played with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

John Collins – $4,137,302

Collins is primarily a power forward but can play center, so we can round out the starting lineup with this 23-year old superstar in the making. Collins averaged 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and shot 40% from three-point range. Imagine having your center stretch the floor because he can shoot from downtown. With Collins on the court, there would be five players that could shoot the ball. This offense would be high flying with Collins as the fifth member of the starting lineup.

Glenn Robinson III – $2,028,594

Through 48 games with the Golden State Warriors last season, Robinson III averaged 12.9 points and shot 40% from three-point range. Granted, he spent a lot of the season as a starter for the team with Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green missing time with injuries. With the Kings, he is not getting as many minutes but this is a bargain price for an outside swingman that can provide quality bench minutes.

Daniel Gafford – $1,517,981

The 22-year old is a great bench option. Gafford has the potential to provide six points and six rebounds off the bench. He can play the center position, which makes him a versatile option. In his second season with the Chicago Bulls, Gafford has averaged 5.3 points and 3.2 points. Gafford’s minutes have improved since Wendell Carter Jr. has suffered an injury, showcasing his game more often. What we have seen is that for a cheap price, this team gets a power forward/center combo that shows glimpses of a Bobby Portis-like player.

Jordan Nwora – $898,310

The rookie for the Milwaukee Bucks has played in 10 games this season, averaging 5.1 points and 1.5 rebounds. He has averaged 8.2 minutes per contest. He provides depth at the forward position.

Centers

Hassan Whiteside – $2,320,044

If this team wanted to go big on some nights, they could use Whiteside as the starting center. Whiteside is a former rebounding leader (2017) and led the league in blocks last season. Whitesides’s career numbers are 13.5 points and 11.5 rebounds. It would give this team a player like DeAndre Jordan but at a fraction of the cost. Having Collins and Whiteside gives this team to match up with just about any team in the league.

Conclusion – Total Salary: $99,031,150

Starting with the backcourt, Sexton and Booker bring high profile scoring options. The team would have options with Smart thrown into the mix. The team could go conservative and take on a defensive mentality with Smart starting and Sexton coming off the bench. Sexton could provide “Lou Williams” like minutes. That way, Sexton could focus more on getting his shots, rather than facilitating. Both the first and second units would have legitimate scoring options.

If the team wanted to play small, Smart, Sexton, and Booker could all play on the floor together. Durant could be moved to power forward, while Collins could play center. If one of the guards needed to come out, Whiteside could play the middle, which allows Durant and Collins to play their natural positions. Gafford and Brunson are both quality bench pieces that would give the starting options a break, while nobody should sleep on Robinson III either. This team is all-around solid offensively and defensively. This team has comparisons to the “Big Three” of LeBron James (Durant), Kyrie Irving (Booker), and Kevin Love (Collins). Those teams made four straight NBA Finals during their heyday. This team could maybe win more than one championship.

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