NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 22: Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets talks with Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during warmups before the game at Barclays Center on December 22, 2020 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
After Kevin Durant spent three seasons with the Golden State Warriors he made the decision to leave and join Kyrie Irving in signing with the Brooklyn Nets. While Durant’s time with the Warriors had its fair share of drama, his time in Brooklyn has been almost nothing but drama. He and Irving got a coach fired, forced the team into trading Jarrett Allen to give space for Deandre Jordan, and of course, this summer of nonstop trade rumors this summer.
One of the teams that got caught up in the Durant trade rumors was surprising, but it was his old team, the Warriors. Fresh off of their NBA championship run, the Warriors were mentioned among the teams pursuing Durant. Steph Curry recently spoke out, confirming the Warriors’ interest in a reunion with the superstar.
Insider Confirms Kevin Durant and Warriors Mutual Interest
In the recent episode of the Bill Simmons podcast, Logan Murdock, who Simmons dubbed the KD whisperer, shared a story of Durant and the Warriors’ mutual interest in each other.
“Yeah, because during that time, and there is a lot of layers to this. So we’ll get through all the layers, but the Steph layer I’ll get with first. Steph, around that time, was like openly kidding, like ‘ha ha Kevin could come back.’ Right? that was during the summer league and things like that. This is the first time he has said it on the record so we can kind of speak on it. But he was just kind of kiki-ing on that like ‘haha he might be back’ like in the Steph way.” Murdock said. “But there was mutual interest on both sides. I remember hearing whispers around Brooklyn around the time that I came back that sometimes K [Durant] would say, ‘Yo, if this shit doesn’t come together (like jokingly) than I can always go back to Golden State.’
Murdock mentioned that Durant stays looking back on his time with the Warriors and even as a member of the Nets would threaten teammates with the idea of returning to the Bay.
“Kevin’s always kind of looking back to that Golden State era,” Murdock continued.
Warriors Ownership Wants Durant Reunion Too
Part of the puzzle that could be keeping Durant’s eye on the Warriors could be Dubs owner Joe Lacob seemingly leaving the key under the mat for him to return to Golden State.
“Lacob, more than anything, is an owner that wants to be in the conversation. Right, so like ‘yeah, it was tight to win a title. But if we won a title and got KD back again and ran it back? We’re the most famous team in the league,’ Murdock suggested. “Joe Lacob loves to like not only win the championship but also win the headline while he’s winning the championship. Like after they won in ’18, what did he do? He could have got somebody else, but he got DeMarcus Cousins. Why? Because it’s really tight to see a media day that we can get DeMarcus Cousins on a mid-level extension. Why? Because we want to dominate you.”