Will OKC’s playoff run keep Kevin Durant in Thunder uniform?

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Kevin Durant sat at the press conference table with Russell Westbrook by his side, the two friends and teammates trying to get their minds around letting a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference finals slip away.

It didn’t take long for Durant to face a question about his future in Oklahoma City with the Thunder.

In the post-game news conference, Durant told reporters he hadn’t even thought about the issue in the immediate wake of the loss.

While it may have been too soon for Durant to think about his long-term future, the question has loomed over the franchise for more than a year. The all-world scorer will become a free agent on July 1 and will be the most coveted player on the market.

Durant and his Roc Nation representation have done a good job of keeping information close to the vest, so it remains a mystery as to which way he is leaning. But after coming so close to returning to the NBA Finals, and with a superstar as bright as Westbrook by his side, it now would be a surprise to see him uproot from a community he loves to chase a championship elsewhere.