Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant has explained why he ultimately decided against rejoining the Golden State Warriors and reuniting with Stephen Curry. With the blockbuster trade involving Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis shaking up the league, anything seemed possible before the NBA trade deadline. One intriguing scenario was Durant’s potential return to Golden State, where he won championships in 2017 and 2018. However, the two-time NBA champion opted to stay in Phoenix.
When Durant declined the opportunity, the Warriors shifted their focus to pursuing Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler instead. On Wednesday, speaking on The Draymond Green Show alongside Baron Davis, Durant elaborated on his decision to remain with the Suns.
“As far as the Warriors, I just didn’t want to move, and then as a player like me, I cost a lot,” Durant said (at 13:56). “Me going to your team, it’s going to be a whole new era of your team when I get there…
“I’m still of value, especially in my contract and my production. Me just getting up and moving in the middle of the season, it’s going to be a big blow to any team I’m going to“.
Meanwhile, in an interview with ESPN, NBA star Curry addressed Durant’s decision:
“You need everybody to be all bought in, no matter what history you have,” Curry said. “And I respect KD. It’s all about having peace of mind and happiness.”
Though Durant didn’t return to Golden State, he and Curry did share the court again—this time on the world stage at Curry’s first Olympics. Despite not having played together since 2019, Durant said their chemistry quickly returned.
The Suns attempted to use Kevin Durant as a last-resort trade piece
The Phoenix Suns attempted to use Kevin Durant as a last-resort trade piece in negotiations for Jimmy Butler after hitting a deadlock with the Miami Heat. For months, Phoenix struggled to move Bradley Beal due to the $110 million remaining on his contract over the next two years and his no-trade clause. The team failed to find a third-party suitor to facilitate a deal, according to USA Today.
Durant, now in the third year of his four-year, $194 million contract, was eligible for a one-year, $59.5 million extension entering this season. Instead, he chose to wait until free agency on June 30, when he can sign a two-year, $123.8 million deal.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Durant was “blindsided” by the Suns including him in trade talks with Golden State. Suns general manager James Jones stated that Phoenix’s front office never discussed Bradley Beal’s no-trade clause with him, per reports.
The Suns have dropped to 27-31, and Durant hasn’t been on a team four games under .500 since the 2008-09 Thunder, his second NBA season. Phoenix, on a two-game skid after Monday’s 151-148 overtime loss in Memphis, has lost six of its last seven and sits 11th in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Warriors have surged since Butler’s arrival, going 6-1 and improving to 31-27, currently eighth in the West.
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