Recent reports have emerged that the Golden State Warriors, and not the Los Angeles Lakers, are the apple of Kevin Durant's eyes when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer if he decides to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Lakers Nation, citing Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, reported that "while there has been conflicting reports, the Lakers are not considered frontrunners for Durant" as the 2014 NBA MVP is said to be looking to win a championship "right away" and his options are to fulfill it with the Thunder or join a team that is a legitimate title contender.

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As stated by Wojnarowski during his recent appearance on Jason McIntyre's The Big Lead: "Kevin Durant doesn't care if they have the first pick, the second pick, third pick; no free agent cares. No free agent of his stature cares what draft pick a team has because that guy is not going to help them win championships in the next two or three years."

"And if Kevin Durant leaves Oklahoma, he wants to be ready to win a championship right away. He's at a point in his career where he can't wait two or three years and hope that it happens. I think part of his criteria, sources tell me, will be, 'Is that team good enough to beat Golden State with me on it? Or is it Golden State? Or can I stay in Oklahoma and continue to be able to do that and compete for a championship?" he added.

The Lakers are currently placed last in the West with an 11-46 win-loss slate (second-to-the-last overall with only the 76ers worse at 8-47) and it sure looks like they are headed to the draft lottery this June to possibly snag LSU's Ben Simmons or Duke's Brandon Ingram to add to their young core of Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, and D'Angelo Russell.

However, all these young, superstar-potential talents will have to wait at least a couple of years to mature and possibly compete for an NBA title. Durant wants to win a championship now and he can only do it with the latest contenders.

TagsLakers News & Rumors, NBA News & Rumors, Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors