Giants have 21 days to activate him or he stays on IR the rest of the season. ... Gs Brett Jones (calf), Justin Pugh (knee) and Marshall Newhouse (knee) practiced on a limited basis. ... S Nat Berhe (co

Kevin Durant is joining the Golden State Warriors.Saying he has experienced by far the most challenging few weeks in my professional life, Durant announced his decision to leave the?Oklahoma City Thunder?on Monday in a post on The Players Tribune.Durant is expected to sign a two-year, $54.3 million contract, sources told ESPNs Marc Stein. The deal will include a player option after the first year.The primary mandate I had for myself in making this decision was to have it based on the potential for my growth as a player -- as that has always steered me in the right direction, Durant wrote. But I am also at a point in my life where it is of equal importance to find an opportunity that encourages my evolution as a man: moving out of my comfort zone to a new city and community which offers the greatest potential for my contribution and personal growth.With this in mind, I have decided that I am going to join the Golden State Warriors.After Durant signs with Golden State, two-time reigning MVP Stephen Curry will be the fourth-highest-paid player on the Warriors. Durant will be No. 1, followed by Klay Thompson ($16.6 million), Draymond Green ($15.3 million) and Curry ($12.1 million), who can become a free agent after next season.Green told The Undefeateds Marc J. Spears in a text message that he was ecstatic the Warriors landed Durant. He tweeted to express his enthusiasm about his new teammate.Im excited about the opportunity to add one of the best players in the world to our team and welcome him to our brotherhood! This will be some of the best times of our life, and Im looking forward to it, he wrote.Durants contract can be finalized Thursday, when the leaguewide moratorium on signings and trades is lifted.Warriors coach Steve Kerr was in Hawaii and said he learned about Durants decision to join Golden State via The Players Tribune, ESPNs Ramona Shelburne reported.The Warriors plan to renounce their rights to Harrison Barnes, sources told Stein, to help clear the salary-cap space needed to sign Durant. That will make Barnes an unrestricted free agent on Thursday. Barnes, sources told Stein, remains on course to sign with the Dallas Mavericks, who reached a verbal agreement with the 24-year-old on a?four-year max deal worth $94.4 million, no matter what happened with Durant.The Mavericks also have agreed to a trade with the Warriors to acquire center Andrew Bogut and his 2016-17 contract, with a base value of just over $11 million. Just before Durants Players Tribune post, Bogut removed references to the Warriors from his Twitter page.Golden State will renounce its rights to center Festus Ezeli, which will make him an unrestricted free agent, but?guard?Shaun Livingston?was told by the Warriors that?he wont be traded, sources told Spears. Golden State also agreed to a one-year, $2.9 million deal with?Zaza Pachulia, according to a report by The Vertical.Thunder general manager Sam Presti expressed his teams disappointment over Durants departure in a statement.Kevin made an indelible mark on the Thunder organization and the state of Oklahoma as a founding father of this franchise, Presti said. We cant adequately articulate what he meant to the foundation of this franchise and our success. While clearly disappointing that he has chosen to move on, the core values that he helped establish only lead to us thanking him for the many tangible and intangible ways that he helped our program.Presti later said?the team had a pretty good idea that Durant was moving on even before its final meeting with him in the Hamptons on Sunday.Even when we were relatively sure it probably wasnt going to go our way, eight staff members and our owner stayed overnight in New York just to be there and to kind of finish it out, Presti said at a news conference in Oklahoma City on Monday evening.Weve been there for every first in his career, and we wanted to finish it out the right way by being present whenever that decision was made, regardless of how it turned out.Presti said he was alerted to Durants final choice in a phone call from Durant on Monday morning a few minutes before the announcement.It was disappointing, it was hurtful; but at the end of the day, it was what he felt was best for him, Presti said.The Thunder will take some time before making any roster decisions, particularly related to All-Star point guard?Russell Westbrooks future, sources told ESPNs Brian Windhorst.The biggest catch on the free-agent market, Durant met with six teams over the past three days: Oklahoma City, Golden State, San Antonio, Boston, Miami and the Los Angeles Clippers. The Warriors held their meeting with Durant on Friday.?On Saturday, Durant spoke with NBA legend Jerry West, a member of the Warriors executive board, on the phone, sources told ESPNs Chris Broussard. West outlined the reasons he thought Golden State would be the ideal fit for the superstar forward.Durant, 27, has spent all nine seasons of his career with the Thunder organization. He won the MVP in 2014, has been named first--team All--NBA five times and has made seven All--Star teams. He has appeared in four Western Conference finals and one NBA Finals, in which he lost in five games to the Heat in 2012.Im from Washington D.C. originally, but Oklahoma City truly raised me, Durant wrote. It taught me so much about family, as well as what it means to be a man. There are no words to express what the organization and the community mean to me and what they will represent in my life and in my heart forever. The memories and friendships are something that go far beyond the game. Those invaluable relationships are what made this deliberation so challenging.It really pains me to know that I will disappoint so many people with this choice, but I believe I am doing what I feel is the right thing at this point in my life and my playing career.Durant bounced back last season to earn second--team All-NBA honors after undergoing three surgeries to repair a Jones fracture on his right foot suffered before the 2014--15 season, in which he was limited to 27 games before undergoing a season--ending bone graft procedure in March. Without Durant, the Thunder missed the postseason.With Durant back for 72 games last season, the Thunder improved to 55-27 and finished third in the West. The Thunder beat the Dallas Mavericks in five games in the opening round, upset the 67--win Spurs in six games in the second round and pushed the Warriors to seven games in the Western Conference finals.Durant averaged 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists last season, and he scored at least 20 points in 67 straight games. In nine seasons, Durant has averaged 27.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.Golden State set an NBA regular-season record with 73 wins and led the league in scoring last season, but the Warriors fell just short of a repeat NBA title and lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games.ESPN staff writer Royce Young and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Discount Lakers Jerseys . LOUIS -- Rookie Tavon Austin has missed another day of practice, lessening the odds hell be ready for the St. Anthony Davis Jersey . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. http://www.cheaplakersjerseyschina.com/ . First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark". Rajon Rondo Jersey . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. Lance Stephenson Jersey . John Tavares, Thomas Vanek and Kyle Okposo were also being counted on to slow down sizzling Rangers forward Rick Nash. That plan didnt go so well early. EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Odell Beckham Jr. wants the ball any way he can get it.If that means the big-play wide receiver adds the job of returning punts for the New York Giants, hes up for it.Beckham showed what he could do as a returner in the fourth quarter of the Giants 27-13 win over Cleveland on Sunday, fielding Britton Colquitts 54-yard punt, finding an opening in the converging Browns, and then cutting across the field for a 59-yard touchdown return .It was typical Beckham. He turned nothing into something and woke up the Giants.The touchdown was nullified by Mark Herzlichs holding penalty, but it again showed how much of a game breaker Beckham can be.Dont forget he also caught two touchdowns against Cleveland as the Giants (8-3) ran their winning streak to six games.Hopefully we get another chance to run some back, Beckham said Wednesday, looking forward to Sundays game in Pittsburgh.Its something Ive been doing pretty much all my life. Ive done punt return and kick return. Its just what it is. Its just another opportunity. They punt it and that ball is going straight to you. Your teammates are out there making the blocks. You just have to make cuts off of them.Beckham said returning and getting the feel for the ball helps him get going on offense.Hopefully you dont get hit but you get an opportunity to get tackled, said the 24-year-old, whose 65 catches are tied for seventh in the league.Its a lot of fun. Its something that I do enjoy. Hopefully I can help this team out in that way or whatever way I can.Beckham has practiced fielding punts all season. Dwayne Harris has handled the job almost all season, but he has been bothered by a wrist injury and running back Bobby Rainey handled the job against the Browns.Rainey fumbled a punt in the second quarter and Beckham took over in the second half, averaging 11.7 yards on three returns.Steelers coach Mike Tomlin saw the videotape of Beckham returning punts and was impressed.He needs no endorrsement from me, he looks like a dangerous guy, Tomlin said.dddddddddddd Guys like him, theyre capable of distinguishing themselves regardless of what you ask them to do. Hes a competitor, a skilled athlete, a playmaker, and thats what they do.Harris isnt sure whether he will be able to return punts this week, but he added his wrist is feeling better.Coach Ben McAdoo said he will make a decision on a punt returner later in the week.Beckham injured a thumb against the Browns last week in the first half but he played through it. He is not worried about it, or even the prospect that he might be hurt returning punts. Its a job that rarely is done by a teams best skilled player.You could do that playing football or crossing the street, Beckham said of the potential for injury. Its part of life. I dont really worry about being hurt at all. Its in Gods hands.I put the best preparation in my body that I can and take care of it the best that I can in order to go out there and not get hurt. Me being back there on punt return, getting hurt or anything like that is not really something Im worried about. It can happen on any play.Game notes RB Shane Vereen has been designated for return from injured reserve and practiced for the first time since tearing a triceps against Washington (Sept. 25). The Giants have 21 days to activate him or he stays on IR the rest of the season. ... Gs Brett Jones (calf), Justin Pugh (knee) and Marshall Newhouse (knee) practiced on a limited basis. ... S Nat Berhe (concussion), LB Mark Herzlich (concussion) and DE Owa Odighizuwa (knee) did not practice. ... Safety Christian Bryant was signed to the practice squad. He has played in 11 NFL games, two this season for Arizona Cardinals and nine last season for the Rams.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and -- http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '