It’s been widely reported that Kevin Durant spurned an opportunity to rejoin his former teammate Stephen Curry on the Golden State Warriors this season. We don’t know why Durant was against the idea, but Draymond Green says he’s not going to lose any sleep over it.
“Didn’t affect my life one bit,” Green told Sportskeeda. “Why would it? I don’t concern myself with guys who aren’t here.”
Kevin Durant was one of several superstars on the trade market this season and the Suns were in talks with several teams on a potential blockbuster deal. The Warriors were leading the race for Durant before they found out about his feelings against returning there.
The Warriors, who are struggling this season, could have used Durant to help advance their title goals but now they will have to make do with Butler in a crowded Western Conference.
Draymond did not give any indication of his feelings toward a Durant reunion but it’s fair to say that he’s not worried about missing out on playing together again. Instead, Green looked ahead to his new partnership with Jimmy Butler and expressed confidence in the team’s direction this season.
“When you walk on the court and you look on the other end and you see guys that you respect, half the battle is fought,” Green said. “And with Jimmy, that’s half the battle. So that’s going to be fun because we can compete at the highest level.”
Green and Durant have a lot of history. Besides being teammates for three years, and winning back-to-back championships, it was Green who first recruited Durant to be his teammate in 2016. He called him after losing in the Finals and Durant joined a few months later.
Of course, it was also Green who went off on Durant in the middle of a game, causing a rift in their relationship that has never recovered. When Kevin left in free agency, Green was cited as part of the reason why and it seems their relationship is damaged beyond repair.
The only way forward for Draymond is to make the most of his current situation, which is alongside Stephen Curry and NBA veteran Jimmy Butler. After the latest trade, the Warriors proved they are all-in on the title pursuit and now it’s time for the players to deliver. It starts with Green, who is averaging 8.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game on 42.1% shooting.
If Green doesn’t step up soon and help this team achieve their goals, it could be him who is on the way out. For now, he still has one last chance to make a playoff run and he’s locked in on the title pursuit.
The hope is that Jimmy Butler will be enough to make the Warriors competitive in the West and he’s ready to come in and make an impact right away. The key to success, however, will depend on Curry and Green, who still believe they are in a position to challenge the best teams in the league. Only time will tell if they’re right but neither Draymond nor Durant is going to focus on the past.
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