Kevin Durant Free Agency Rumor: Lakers have 'little, if any' chance to sign Durant, Warriors 'significant frontrunners'

Kevin Durant free agency rumors are beginning to fly with just a few months left of the NBA season, and if he does leave the Oklahoma City Thunder this summer, the Golden State Warriors are "significant frontrunners," according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Durant, 27, wants to compete for titles immediately and Golden State is the "most intriguing" destination to him.

The Los Angeles Lakers, on the other hand, reportedly have "little, if any" chance to land the one-time Most Valuable Player, per Wojnarowski. Durant wants to solidify his legacy with championships, and the Lakers are nowhere near being prepared to compete in the immediate future, even if they landed a player of his caliber.

Wojnarwoski's report cancels out an incredibly loose report from Stephen A. Smith that Durant is, in fact, interested in making his way to Los Angeles with his eyes on reuniting with Russell Westbrook further down the road. Dreaming is always fun, but the realty is there's no truth behind Smith's chatter. Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders also tore down the report, saying there's no "substance" to it:

There is nothing contained in this commentary to suggest anything of substance from Durant's side or even Westbrook's side. This commentary is simply the dream scenario from the L.A. Lakers, framed solely through the prism of the Lakers.

A league source chuckled at the idea, saying if Durant and Westbrook wanted to remain together, they'd earn more staying right where they are.

Instead of dreaming of Durant to L.A., it seems more appropriate to have nightmares of what the Warriors could become if he moves on from Oklahoma City. Wojnarowski notes that Kevin's focus remains on leading the Thunder out of the Western Conference, but once summer hits, it's a brand new ball game. The Lakers, barring significant personnel changes, aren't in the same park as many of the suitors that will be prepared to offer Durant a fresh start with championships aspirations.