ed out the ceremonial first pitch. She turned 100 o

Sometime in the next 10 days, Kevin Durant will have made his decision where to play basketball next season. Hes heading overseas on July 9 for a promotional tour, and according to sources, he plans on having made his free-agency choice before he leaves.Despite having meetings lined up with six other teams, the Oklahoma City Thunder are the front-runners, with some around Durant saying someone is going to have to convince him to leave, rather than the Thunder convincing him to stay. His heart is in Oklahoma City, a place he affectionately refers to as a home. But hes willing to listen, and therefore, willing to leave the door wide open to the possibility of leaving. At this point, some 48 hours before the free-agency window opens, its all up in the air.Regardless of that choice, what many feel is not an unknown is the terms of the new contract. With the salary cap erupting incrementally over the next two years, Durant stands to cash in on a system quirk. If he re-signs for one season and delays his long-term choice another summer, hed become a 10-year player, and stand to be eligible for a 35 percent max deal rather than a 30 percent. Its the difference in some $85 million over the entire length of a new contract. Even for someone as loaded as Durant, that gets your attention.If its a one-year deal Durant wants, the Thunder quickly become his only reasonable option. They have his Bird rights, so they dont need cap space to sign him. The Warriors, the Spurs, the Heat, the whoevers -- theyd have to be $27 million under to sign him. And then the kicker: Theyd have to be $34 million or so under again next season to re-sign him. So his new team has to gut/trim this summer and then do it all over again next summer. It doesnt make a lot of sense.The Thunder would happily take Durant on the one-year deal. Theyd sign him to a daily contract that needed to be re-upped for every game if thats what it took. Its practical for Durant, and not financial devastation to the Thunder. But a one-year contract does complicate things for the organization. Sam Presti complimented Durants focus and caretaking of the franchise this season, minimizing distractions and keeping away narratives. Presti actually went as far to say the season they had wouldnt have been possible had he not.If hes only back on a one-year deal, though, its this season all over again, but on steroids. No longer is there the backdrop of oh, hell probably just sign for a year. And on top of it, hes now aligned with Russell Westbrooks free agency, setting the stage for potential free agency Armageddon for OKC.Plus, there are the optics, at least from the OKC side. Durant is hearing pitches and flirting with other teams. That fact alone means hes considering leaving the only organization he has ever known. If he signs for a year without committing for the long term, theres no celebration in Oklahoma City. Theres only delayed anxiety. The 2016-17 season is pressurized to incomprehensible levels, and fans will have to look over their shoulders all year long.Durant cares deeply about the Thunder. He takes great pride in knowing hes a stakeholder in the franchise. He talks proudly of building this thing from the ground up and knowing his fingerprints are all over the culture and identity of the entire organization. The Thunder have been constructed for him and by him at the same time.Durant likes to cut against the grain, taking pride in making independent decisions and freethinking for himself. It always has irked him that many made the assumption hed go back home to Washington, D.C., just because LeBron James did with Cleveland. His entire brand had been built and cultivated on the simple principle of being himself. The aw-shucks tweet announcing his extension in 2010 while LeBron held a one-hour special; asking for teammates to accompany him on the cover of magazines; donating $1 million less than 24 hours after a tornado shredded part of the Oklahoma City metro area.Or, of course, the MVP speech that had every mom in America forwarding links to their sons saying, Have you see this? Durant didnt show up that day planning a prepackaged speech sure to produce tears. He had a few words written on a napkin, and followed his heart for the rest of it. Nike is paying Durant nearly $300 million because of that stuff. His brand has been zigging when theres an expectation to zag.Which is why a long-term deal with the Thunder isnt out of the question. Durant has talked openly about money recently, saying this when asked during the postseason about David West opting out of his deal to sign for the veterans minimum:Money isnt everything in this life, he said. I know we tend to think about taking care of your family, being financially stable. But from the outside looking in, it looks like he said, well, Ive been blessed to make X amount and Ill be happy chasing something thats the grand prize in this league. So I respect him for it. A lot of guys wouldnt have done it.Many saw that quote as Durant leaning his way out of town, leaving the one-plus-one megabucks deal on the table to go sign elsewhere. But what it might have been reference to is the opposite. Durant might be thinking of leaving money on the table to sign long term. Hes still a max player making lots and lots of money, so its not a pay cut. But its a break for his team, and one that can help enable them to build a better roster to with which to contend. All that youth and potential the Thunder have will need to be eventually paid. And every penny counts.Durant will at least have that presented to him by the Thunder. He cares deeply about legacy. But legacy isnt only found in championships. He has said that himself, lamenting at the notion a title is the only thing that defines greatness in a player. What will resonate more than anything this summer, or longer? Durant bucking the trend and planting his flag in the ground with the organization he helped build. That is mostly the stuff of fantasy in professional sports, so theres no expectation of Durant going for it. The money is real, and nobody could blame him for making the practical, pragmatic choice. Its what makes the most sense. Its whats most likely.On the other hand, another opportunity to zig.In 10 days or less, were going to know which way he decides to go.Cheap Indians Jerseys China . Artturi Lehkonen, Joni Nikko and Ville Leskinen had the other goals for Finland (1-0) while Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots. Tim Robin Johnsgard had the lone goal for Norway (0-2). 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LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string.BOSTON -- Rick Porcello certainly feels at home.Porcello pitched seven strong innings to remain unbeaten at Fenway Park this season, Xander Bogaerts homered and the Boston Red Sox sent the Tampa Bay Rays to their fifth straight loss, 4-1 on Saturday.Absolutely, coming a here and pitching here now, I feel a lot more comfortable, said the right-hander after raising his record to 8-0 in nine Fenway starts.On a day the Red Sox learned they lost closer Craig Kimbrel with a left knee injury for likely three to six weeks, they won for the fifth time in six games.After being acquired from Detroit in a trade during the offseason before 2015, the 27-year-old took a while to start feeling relaxed in Fenway.Last year, he was expected to be an ace for the staff but he lost six of his first 11 starts at home and ended the season just 9-15 overall with a 4.92 ERA.More than anything, we look back to a year and half that hes been here, probably getting in his surroundings, Red Sox manager John Farrell said. The first time that he had been away from the Tigers after six full years in the big leagues there.Dustin Pedroia added a two-run single for Boston, which looks for a sweep of the three-game series Sunday when former Rays ace David Price is scheduled to pitch.Brad Miller hit a solo homer for the Rays, who have dropped 21 of 24.Porcello (11-2) allowed a run on six hits, striking out five and not walking anyone.Koji Uehara worked the ninth for his fourth save, second in two days.Matt Moore (5-6) gave up four runs, two of them unearned, in six innings. He held the Red Sox scoreless on three hits over seven innings in his last start against them, at home on June 29.We know what were capable of doing, Moore said. Regardless of what just happened the last month, that sounds like a victim attitude. I dont think anybody in here is going to admit to that -- I know I wont.Bogaerts two-run homer completely left Fenway over the Grreen Monster seats and made it 2-1 in the fourth.dddddddddddd Pedroias single came an inning later.There were a couple of misfires in there that you could tell -- the pitch to Bogaerts, Rays manager Kevin Cash said. But, overall, I thought he did a nice job of kind of balancing.Millers drive gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead in the first. He has three career hits against Porcello, all solo homers.The Red Sox replaced Kimbrel quickly, acquiring Diamondbacks closer Brad Ziegler early Saturday. Hes expected to be with the team Sunday.Kimbrel tore his medial meniscus shagging balls in the outfield Friday and is scheduled for surgery Monday.HONOREEThe 100-year-old daughter of Babe Ruth -- Julia Ruth Stevens -- tossed out the ceremonial first pitch. She turned 100 on Thursday.FALLINGThe Rays (34-53) dropped 19 games under .500 for the first time since the end of 2007.ROOM FOR NEW GUYTo make room for Ziegler, Boston placed RHP Sean OSullivan on the 15-day DL with left knee tendinitis.TRAINERS ROOMRays: CF Kevin Kiermaier (fractured left hand) worked out pregame. Cash said hell likely start a rehab assignment Monday and they hope to have him in the lineup Friday.Red Sox: Farrell said Brock Holt, who left Fridays game with a sprained left ankle, isnt likely to play Sunday, but the team hopes to have him back Friday. . Farrell also said 1B Hanley Ramirez was sore. Ramirez was out of the lineup after fouling a ball off his left shin twice in the last few days.UP NEXTRays: RHP Jake Odorizzi (3-4, 4.33 ERA) is set to start the series finale on Sunday. Hes looking to rebound from a rough start Tuesday when he gave up a season-high seven runs.Red Sox: Price (8-6, 4.64) looks to snap a personal two-game losing streak. The lefty lost to his former team on June 29, giving up four runs in 6 1/3 innings. ' ' '