NBA Rumors: Washington Wizards Give Up Kevin Durant Free Agency; Jeremy Lin, Taj Gibson Offers From John Wall Team Confirmed

By Mitch de Leon
NBA: Playoffs-Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors
May 30, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) reacts during the second quarter in game seven of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena.  Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Kevin Durant free agency train appears to have no plan of stopping in the Washington Wizards locker room. While the rest of the NBA teams, including the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat, are looking into ways to sign the Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star, the John Wall team opted to move on and target other basketball players. With the possibility of signing Kevin Durant off the table, the Washington Wizards are said to be eyeing Jeremy Lin of the Charlotte Hornets and Taj Gibson of the Chicago Bulls.

The reunion of Kevin Durant and the Washington Wizards had been widely speculated ever since the OKC star's free agency status became the subject of headlines. While the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Curry, D'Angelo Russell and Dwyane Wade are wooing KD into joining their NBA team, John Wall and his squad admitted that the chances of the free agent's return to their roster is nil.

"It's not like LeBron and Cleveland," disclosed an unnamed source when asked of the status of Kevin Durant free agency in relation to the Washington Wizards. The 2014 NBA MVP is a native of Washington. However, it appears that Durant has no plans to seek a championship the same way LeBron James did.

In 2014, the Cleveland Cavaliers star and 2015-16 NBA Finals MVP famously left the Miami Heat to pursue his dream of bringing home a championship to the Kyrie Irving team. After failing the first time and falling victim to the Golden State Warriors, which is led by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, King James eventually fulfilled his promise to Oakland. This will not be the case for Kevin Durant though.

With this in mind, the Washington Wizards are said to be looking into signing two NBA stars who can help them next season. Notably, the Bradley Beal team is rumored to be eyeing Jeremy Lin following his impressive performance with the Charlotte Hornets this year. Will the Linsanity make a comeback donning a Washington Wizards uniform?

Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls might lose one of its core stars to the Washington Wizards soon as well. Rumors are rife that after the exit of Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks, Taj Gibson is next in line in the trading block

"Speculation over Gibson's departure has popped up now and then over the past couple of years, but all that buzz may finally come to fruition in the offseason," noted Jared Johnson of the Bleacher Report. He added, "The Bulls seem to be ready to tear it down after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2008."

At the moment, no official word has been provided by the parties concerned. What do you think? Should the Washington Wizards seriously consider Jeremy Lin? What about Taj Gibson? Is it really hopeless for John Wall to pursue Kevin Durant?

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