There is no question that the smart thing for Thunder free-agent-to-be Kevin Durant would be to remain in Oklahoma City and accept a two-year contract with a player option on the second year. He would maximize his payday in that scenario, moving the starting value of his max contract from 30 percent of the salary cap to 35 percent (10-year veterans get the extra five percent) and taking advantage of what will be an even richer free-agency scene, as the salary cap could rise from more than $90 million this summer to around $110 million next summer.

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Durant’s deal could start at $38.5 million that way, rather than $27 million. He would have the added benefit of playing for another year under Billy Donovan in Oklahoma City, exploring whether the team’s playoff run this year can be built upon next year. And he’d be a free agent in 2017, alongside teammate Russell Westbrook.

Makes sense. But sources around the league say Durant’s choice is not that simple.

“He is not the kind of guy who wants to fiddle around in free agency and sort of play the system that way,” said one source who has worked with Durant. “That is not his personality. He likes stability and it is kind of a gamble to be taking a short contract and then trying to come back and do it all over again in a year. That’s the other thing. He is not someone who wants to go through this twice, I really don't think. It's no sure thing.”

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That’s a common theme around the league, the notion that Durant wants to make a decision now, ensure his security and not have to worry about being a free agent again until he is in his 30s. During the Thunder’s end-of-season media session, Durant told reporters he has no interest in a high-profile free agency tour: “That’s not who I am. I’m not that type of person.”

It’s worth remembering, too, that at this time last year, there was speculation around several players, suggesting they would take one-year deals before cashing in on the influx of television money that is driving up the salary cap this summer. LaMarcus Aldridge was one, and it was estimated that he would have made about $60 million more had he stayed with Portland and waited a year before signing. Instead, Aldridge took San Antonio’s four-year, $80 million offer.

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Cleveland’s Kevin Love was in a similar situation, and even had cause — like Durant — to play one year and keep his options open after a tumultuous first season with the Cavaliers. If he was to be a free agent this summer, Love probably would get a five-year, $154 million contract, instead of the $110 million deal he signed last year. But Love determined he wanted to stay with the Cavs after last year’s Finals, and rather than tinkering with a one-year deal and the extra money it could have brought, he signed Cleveland’s max offer.

The injury risk on a one-year contract is obviously a tough obstacle for players considering the deals. Even though he had a foot problem that caused him to miss 55 games in 2014-15, the chances of Durant suffering a serious injury are slim. But the chance is there, and that makes it very difficult to pass on a max contract now while looking ahead to 2017, especially if Durant determines he has a chance at a title by taking an offer from a team like Golden State or San Antonio.

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The one-year contract does make the most sense for Durant, both in terms of figuring out where the Thunder are heading and getting the most bang out of his next big deal. In the end, he might well decide that it is in his best interests. But it’s important to remember that there is risk attached to that approach, and it doesn’t quite mesh with Durant’s low-key personality.