Kevin Durant's Monday announcement that he was leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors shook the NBA world, but a number of former Duke stars are also on the move this summer to new teams. Here is a breakdown of how free agency has impacted several former Blue Devils so far:
Luol Deng, Los Angeles Lakers (Four-year, $72 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers): After averaging 12.3 points and 6.0 rebounds in 74 games for Miami last season, Deng cashed in on his solid performance by landing a lucrative deal with the Lakers. The swingman just completed his 12th NBA season and has career averages of 15.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
The Sudan native will join another former Blue Devil wing in Los Angeles—Brandon Ingram, who the Lakers took with the No. 2 pick in last month's NBA Draft. Los Angeles also signed center Timofey Mozgov to a four-year, $64 million contract early in free agency and will add Ingram, Deng and Mozgov to a young core featuring guards D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson and forward Julius Randle.
Gerald Henderson, Philadelphia 76ers (Two-year, $18 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers): He just completed his seventh NBA season as a reserve guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, and now he's going back home. Henderson, who has averaged 11.5 points per game in his career, played high school basketball in the Philadelphia area before playing at Duke. The 6-foot-5 guard's father also spent two seasons with the 76ers as part of his NBA career.
Henderson will play with second-year big man Jahlil Okafor, who helped lead the Blue Devils to the national title in 2015. Okafor was drafted third in the 2015 NBA Draft before earning first-team All-Rookie team honors by averaging 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. The Chicago native played 53 games before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Former Duke star Elton Brand is also on Philadelphia's roster after completing his 17th NBA season, but it's unclear whether the former No. 1 overall pick will remain a 76er next season.
Other highlights on Philadelphia's roster are 2016 No. 1 pick Ben Simmons, big men Joel Embiid and Nerlens Noel—who were both top six picks—and guards Jerryd Bayless and Sergio Rodriguez. Bayless and Rodriguez were brought in as free agents like Henderson as the 76ers look to win 20 or more games for the first time since 2012-13.
Austin Rivers, Los Angeles Clippers (Three-year, $35 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers): Rivers posted 21 points, eight assists and six rebounds in the injury-ridden Clippers' season-ending loss to Portland in the first round of the playoffs, and decided to stay in Los Angeles to continue playing for his father, head coach Doc Rivers. He averaged 8.9 points per game off the bench last season, his fourth in the NBA.
There had been talk that the Clippers might not keep Rivers and other role players like Jamal Crawford and Wesley Johnston to try to land Durant, but once they knew Durant was no longer considering Los Angeles, the Clippers kept their team intact. They will be led by point guard Chris Paul and big men Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan once again next season. Former Duke sharpshooter J.J. Redick is also still with the Clippers.
Seth Curry, Dallas Mavericks (Two-year, $6 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks): After averaging 16.4 points and 5.3 assists per game for the Sacramento Kings when his role increased in April, the brother of two-time reigning MVP Stephen Curry will try to make an impact in Dallas. Curry was a restricted free agent, but the Kings released him from his contract.
Prior to last year, the 6-foot-2 guard appeared in just four career games during the previous two seasons and spent time in the NBA Development League. He averaged 6.8 points in 15.7 minutes per game in 44 contests last season and shot 45.0 percent from behind the 3-point line.
Dallas lost big man Zaza Pachulia and wing Chandler Parsons in free agency, but replaced them with Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes from Golden State. The Mavericks also kept the face of their franchise, forward Dirk Nowitzki.
Lance Thomas, New York Knicks (Four-year, $27 million contract with the New York Knicks): Thomas averaged 8.2 points in 22.3 minutes per game in 59 games last season for the Knicks, who decided they would retain the 6-foot-8 forward. Thomas, who just completed his fifth NBA season, will be a role player on a team led by veterans Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah and young forward Kristaps Porzingis.
The Knicks added Rose and Noah as part of a busy free agency period in which they unloaded young guards Jerian Grant and Langston Galloway for more experienced talent. New York also added guards Courtney Lee and Brandon Jennings this offseason to space the floor.
Mike Dunleavy, Cleveland Cavaliers (Traded to Cleveland from Chicago): Dunleavy, who just finished his 14th NBA season, was shipped to the reigning NBA champions so the Bulls could clear cap space to sign guard Dwyane Wade. He only played 31 games last season due to back surgery, but for his career has averaged 11.5 points per game on 37.6 percent shooting from 3-point range.
Cleveland star LeBron James has reportedly coveted Dunleavy for several years because of Dunleavy's versatility and outside shooting prowess at the height of 6-foot-9. Dunleavy joins former Duke point guard Kyrie Irving in Cleveland. Irving hit the go-ahead 3-pointer in Game 7 of the NBA Finals to lift the Cavaliers to their first championship.
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