Getty Draymond Green and Kevin Durant of Team USA react during a game against Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
In terms of an actual deal materializing, all is quiet on the Kevin Durant front two weeks after the baller requested a trade from the Nets. However, there continues to be a whole lot of noise on the periphary, especially pertaining to a potential return to the Golden State Warriors.
There has also been an incredible amount of discussion about Durant himself and his state of mind throughout this process. For his part, NBC Sports Bay Area‘s Monte Poole referred to the 12-time All-Star as a “restless soul” in the wake of the trade request.
More recently, KD was referred to as “emotional” during a recent discussion about the situation on SportsCenter.
It was the latter point that proved to be a bridge too far for Dubs star Draymond Green. In the wee hours of Tuesday morning, Green hit the tweet machine to take the people involved to task.
Draymond Sounds Off
After seeing the SportsCenter spot, Green put the four-letter network on blast for its characterization of Durant during the segment.
“Just watched the anchor on Sportscenter with Nick [Friedell] discuss KD wanting a trade, and called him emotional…” Green tweeted. “Who are you to call someone emotional? What makes you comfortable? Talk BASKETBALL! Computers got y’all overly comfortable. TNM”
Critics were quick to point out that Green has had no problem chiding others for being emotional in the past. The Warriors forward famously slammed Rudy Gobert for crying in 2019 when the now-Timberwolves center shed tears over his mother’s disappointment that he was overlooked for an All-Star nod.
“I guess I should cry too… no Charlotte?” Green tweeted at the time. He made similar comments to members of the media, and has continued to reference Gobert’s emotional display throughout the years.
His inconsistency on the matter notwithstanding, Green may be right about some of the commentary about Durant, who has been the best thing about Nets basketball over the last few years and is seemingly just looking to finish his career in a stable, winning situation.
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Durant Is Still One of the Best Ballers on the Planet
This much is certain — KD remains a force to be reckoned with on the hardwood, even as he’s entering his 15th season in the Association (or 16th, if you count his lost 2019-20 campaign). In 55 games with Brooklyn in 2021-22, the 33-year-old averaged 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists while shooting 51.8% from the floor and 38.3% from distance.
No other player in the league put up that line with those shooting splits, and none were close, either.
Along the way, Durant finished fifth league-wide in player efficiency rating (25.6), sixth in box plus/minus (7.2), eighth in offensive win shares (6.4) and eighth in VORP (4.8).
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