Kevin Durant nearly rejoined the Golden State Warriors this month. Before the NBA trade deadline, the Warriors and Phoenix Suns were in advanced talks on a trade that would have sent Durant back to the Bay Area, but the deal ultimately fell apart after Durant made it clear he didn’t want to return to Golden State.
Despite the initial friction after KD first left the team, both Stephen Curry and head coach Steve Kerr wanted to make the move, and the trio mended their relationship with Team USA during the Olympics. But with Durant declining the trade, how did Curry and Kerr feel?
Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr Break Silence On Kevin Durant Rejecting Warriors-Suns Trade
This trade deadline featured blockbuster trade after blockbuster trade, and Durant landing back with the Warriors after helping them win two championships would have only added to the craziness.
The Suns reportedly agreed to the Warriors’ offer, but KD stepped in to stop the trade. He reached out to Curry and made it clear that a sequel to their dominant run “didn’t feel right” and it “wasn’t the time.”
“You need everybody to be all bought in no matter what the history you have,” Curry told ESPN. “And I respect KD. It’s all about having peace of mind and happiness.
“Neither one of us controlled that [trade] situation. It’s just you want to make sure somebody wants to be somewhere. Other than that, I’m not trying to convince anybody to be somewhere they don’t want to be.”
He made it clear that there weren’t any “hard feelings” or “resentment” toward Durant.
Kerr also shared his thoughts on the situation, and he was more empathetic to what Durant went through and why he wouldn’t want to return to the Warriors.
“I don’t blame Kevin one bit for not wanting to rerun things here. He took so much sh** for like, ‘Oh, you’re jumping on the bandwagon.’ And then he’s Finals MVP two years in a row. It’s like he still gets criticized,” Kerr told ESPN.
“So why would he want to face all that B.S. again?”
This season, both Durant and Curry have been on teams that are fighting to remain in the Play-In race, let alone the playoffs themselves. While both have staved off Father Time late into their 30s, their teams are struggling after entering the season with high hopes.
Once Durant rejected the Warriors’ trade, Golden State changed course, acquiring Jimmy Butler III from the Miami Heat and extending the five-time All-NBA selection. Golden State is hoping that the addition of Butler can give the team a jolt in the second half of the season.
“I think it all worked out as it probably was supposed to,” Kerr said. “For Jimmy, it’s a fresh start. For us, it’s a different vibe, different look. Kevin didn’t feel [a reunion], so it wouldn’t have been healthy for him to come here or for us if he didn’t want to be here.
“Obviously, we would’ve been thrilled with either one of them. But I think it all worked out as it was supposed to.”
