The days of long-term franchise players appear to be diminishing more and more as time goes on.

Elite NBA players are testing the market for more money and the best opportunity to win now more than ever. This offseason has been a wild ride so far, with multiple players changing teams for numerous reasons.

The next paradign-shifting superstar that could join the ranks of players changing their teams? Kevin Durant.

According to multiple sources, the reigning NBA MVP could join the Washington Wizards in 2016.

Durant is currently signed with the Thunder on a five-year, $86 million contract. His contract has just two years remaining on it, the 2014-15 and the 2015-16 seasons. Durant will make a combined $39 million in base salary from the Oklahoma City Thunder over the next two seasons. So, for the next years, Durant will be on the Thunder unless traded. Don't count on that happening.

There's no denying that Durant is one of the best players in the NBA. He's certainly the best scorer in the league, as he is a four-time scoring champion. Although he hasn't won an NBA Finals yet, yet he did lead the Thunder to a Finals appearance in 2012 and he won last season's MVP. His tall height combined with his precision shooting makes him one of the best offensive players, if not the best, in the league. His defense could improve, but nobody is perfect.

Durant will become a free agent after the 2015-16 season, but there is no guarantee that KD will continue to call Oklahoma City his home...especially considering where this talented offensive force came from.

Born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area, there's no doubt the Wizards will make a run for Durant. LeBron James recently returned home after playing four years with the Miami Heat. If Durant can't win a title in Oklahoma, it would be far-fetched to say he would leave for the Wizards. Is there anything better than winning a championship in your home city? The Eastern Conference is significantly easier to play in than the Western Conference. Eventually, Durant is going to have to add some championship hardware to his resumé if he is to be considered an all-time great.

Leaving Russell Westbrook might seem hard at first, but it may be for the better. Westbrook is a two guard trying to play the point guard role for the Thunder. Oftentimes, he takes more shots than Durant does, and it comes at a cost for the team. Playing alongside former No. 1 overall pick John Wall as his main passer could be more beneficial than playing with Westbrook.

The Wizards may not seem like a very popular destination for superstar players, but if Durant leaves, others will follow. Look at Cleveland, for example. Before LeBron declared last week that he was "coming home," how often did fans hear players say "I always wanted to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers?" Not a lot, if ever. Once James returned to his former team, Mike Miller and James Jones followed him. Even Kevin Love reportedly wants to join James in Cleveland now.

If Durant is unable to win a championship in his next two seasons with the Thunder, it wouldn't be surprising at all if he leaves. By that time, the Wizards will be even better and more organized while the Thunder may have experienced two more disappointing seasons. The Wizards can definitely afford Durant, unless somehow they sign a superstar player next offseason, which is highly unlikely to happen.

And. lest we forget, it would be very entertaining to see LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant in the Eastern Conference. It could still happen; after all, anything can happen in NBA free agency.