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.
