The Golden State Warriors explored the possibility of bringing back Kevin Durant, but the former Finals MVP had no interest in returning. Head coach Steve Kerr made it clear that he had no issue with Durant’s decision.
Speaking to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, Kerr acknowledged the criticism Durant faced during his first stint with the Warriors and understood why he wouldn’t want to deal with it again. “I don’t blame Kevin one bit for not wanting to rerun things here,” Kerr said.
Durant, who won two championships with Golden State and earned back-to-back Finals MVP honors, was heavily criticized for joining the team in 2016. Kerr pointed out that despite Durant’s dominance, he still faced scrutiny. “He took so much s— 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 added.
Ahead of the trade deadline, Warriors star Stephen Curry reached out to Durant to gauge his interest in a reunion. According to Youngmisuk, Durant told Curry that a return to Golden State “didn’t feel right” and that he wasn’t looking to leave Phoenix.
Curry made it clear that he respected Durant’s decision and had no hard feelings. “It’s all about having peace of mind and happiness,” Curry said. He emphasized that a successful team requires full commitment, and if Durant didn’t feel it was the right move, there was no point in forcing it.
Durant, now 36, remains one of the league’s top scorers, averaging 27.3 points, 6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 36.5 minutes per game. Despite his production, the Phoenix Suns have struggled, currently sitting 11th in the Western Conference with a 26-28 record.
Meanwhile, the Warriors (28-27) hold the 10th seed, just one spot above the Suns in the standings. While a Durant reunion could have been a game-changer, Golden State traded for Jimmy Butler and hopes that his addition can lead the team to playoffs.
