Kevin Durant opened up about his thought process before the trade deadline when he chose not to return to the Golden State Warriors, even though they reportedly had a trade lined up to bring him back from the Phoenix Suns.
During an interview with Malika Andrews, she asked Durant to address comments made by Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who speculated about what influenced his decision.
“I don’t blame Kevin one bit for not wanting to rerun things here,” Kerr told Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “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.”
Durant responded by disagreeing with Kerr’s interpretation.
“People talk crazy about me all the time,” Durant said. “That’s not the reason why I didn’t come back. I just didn’t want to get traded midway through the season. It was nothing against my time with the Warriors, or I heard it was because I don’t like Draymond.
“At the end of the day, I just didn’t want to move. And I wanted to see it through with my team in Phoenix. And see what we can do through the rest of the season, so I’m glad I’m still there.”
When asked how the remainder of the season with the Suns might influence his perspective on his future, Durant was candid about his approach.
“You have to ask the front office about that. I never planned on leaving or getting traded. I didn’t ask for a trade from Phoenix. But, obviously, when you pay so much for a team and we’re not playing up to our expectation, someone has to go.
“Probably should check in with those guys in the front office throughout the rest of the season to see how they’re feeling. I know I’m going to try to keep bringing my best every single day. I’ll let the higher-ups focus on what’s next.”
Kevin Durant: I Just Didn't Want To Be Traded Midseason, Nothing Against My Time With Warriors https://t.co/AFwW1Vzop2
— RealGM (@RealGM) February 18, 2025
