Steve Kerr Admits Warriors Tried To Acquire Kevin Durant During 2025 Season

Kevin Durant enjoyed some of the most successful years of his career with the Golden State Warriors. Although these days were left in the past, Steve Kerr shared that the team attempted to acquire the forward during the 2025 season.

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The Golden State Warriors‘ dynasty was at its peak when Kevin Durant was part of the team’s core. While the glory days have been left in the past, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr shared the team attempted to run things by making a run at trading for the forward in the 2025 season.

While speaking on the “Tom Tolbert Show“, he said:

“We had nothing going. We were at the point of the season where you could just feel it, we were dead in the water. We were below .500, and it had been a long enough stretch to go like, alright, this isn’t working.”

Kerr said these things in the context of events leading up to acquiring Jimmy Butler via trade with the Miami Heat. 

However, he made it clear that the team also had other options in mind when he said, “I think it’s well documented that we were trying to get Kevin Durant. That didn’t happen. Mike just calls me and says, ‘Hey, I think we’re going to trade for Jimmy Butler. I’m going to vouch for him. I played with him for three years in Chicago. The guy’s a gamer.”

The notion of Durant being a target for the Warriors earlier in the regular season is certainly interesting. Golden State, prior to the trade deadline, looked like a rather mediocre team as they were floating around the lower rung of the West. Meanwhile, Durant was also having a tough time in Phoenix as the Suns looked like a shadow of the team they were expecting to be. 

Unfortunately, a reunion didn’t come to pass. In many ways, it may never have come to pass, considering the damage caused in the wake of Durant’s departure. Regardless, the notion remains intriguing as the forward could be on the lookout for a new home in the summer.


Steve Kerr’s Praise For Jimmy Butler’s Defense Restricted By Comparison With Dennis Rodman

Jimmy Butler‘s acquisition turned the Golden State Warriors into playoff contenders. Butler’s intensity on both ends of the floor worked wonders for the team, with special emphasis on his defense. However, Kerr hilariously gave the forward his flowers with some restrictions. While speaking on the “Tom Tolbert Show”, he said:

Jimmy’s a good defender, but he’s not Dennis Rodman out there. But to me, it was like we became a great defense because Jimmy was controlling the game on the offensive end. He never turns it over. Got to the line, which means we were constantly setting up our defense in the half-court.”

Kerr’s former teammate, Dennis Rodman, is widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive players of all time. Although Butler is a terrific defender, it is a fair claim on the head coach’s part to draw the line there.

Butler remains an integral element in the Warriors’ plans for the future. Forming the core with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, Golden State will hope to make relevant moves and roster upgrades to support their stars in making a title charge next season.

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Siddhant Gupta is a basketball columnist at Fadeaway World, based out of Mumbai, India. He combines firsthand playing experience with thoughtful analysis to report on the NBA's ever-evolving world. A lifelong athlete, Siddhant's perspective is rooted in years on the court, giving his work a unique edge that resonates with both casual fans and seasoned ones.Before joining Fadeaway World, he spent two formative years at Sportskeeda, where he sharpened his skills and had the opportunity to interview NBA legend Ray Allen during his time in India. A diehard Los Angeles Lakers fan since 2008, Siddhant doesn't just report on the game—he lives it. Beyond his work, he is a student of the game, constantly learning, debating, and engaging with the local and global basketball communities.
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