Over the last 24 hours or so, there has been plenty of buzz surrounding the Golden State Warriors’ reuniting with Kevin Durant. Given their success together and the Warriors’ desperation for another title run, rejoining forces makes perfect sense. However, that doesn’t mean Durant wants one.
Kevin Durant’s Hesitancy Won’t Stop the Warriors
Even though the Warriors would potentially give Durant another shot at winning the title, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported that not only does the former MVP not want to be traded, but he may take issue with potentially becoming a Warriors player again.
“It is believed that Durant has some serious reservations about a second Warriors stint if he were to be shipped there,” they wrote.
”He unforgettably won two championships during that first three-season stint, but his final season as a Warrior in 2018-19 was of course marked by a devastating Achilles injury … as well as a growing belief that he wanted a dramatic change of scenery (which he found in Brooklyn) and no longer wanted to play alongside Draymond Green.”
Durant and Green had well-documented tension during their three years as teammates, particularly in the former’s last year in Golden State. Although they made up a few years later, even if they are on good terms now, all indications are that the Phoenix Suns power forward doesn’t want to revisit this.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reaffirmed Stein’s and Fischer’s report, stating that Durant doesn’t want to play for Golden State again. However, even though he may not want to be traded back to Golden State, Stein and Fischer reported that the Warriors appear determined to get Durant back anyway.
“One source briefed on the trade talks, furthermore, advised The Stein Line that the Warriors might have the gumption to trade for Durant anyway … even if they believe he is disinclined to come back,” they wrote.
There’s a good reason to believe this, as K.C. Johnson reported that another Warriors target, Nikola Vučević, is preparing to stay in Chicago with Golden State turning to bigger targets — most namely Durant.
Yet, according to Charania, the Warriors will still go back to pursuing Vučević if their second pursuit of Durant goes awry.
Things may very well go that route because, following this intel about Durant not wanting to be in Golden State again, Chris Haynes reported that the Warriors have lost interest because they don’t want to acquire a potentially disgruntled star. This puts the kibosh on a Durant-Golden State reunion, but only for now.
