Getty Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant welcomed Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob‘s gesture to retire his jersey in the future.
“As long as I am co-chairman of this team, no other player will ever wear No. 35 for the Warriors again,” Lacob said in a statement via Andscape.
In response, Durant told Andscape’s Marc Spears: “He should. Look at the résumé. That would warrant me to get a jersey retirement, right? Do I want to be honored by a franchise I put work in for? Of course, I would love that. I had some great moments there. I built some solid relationships there. Yeah, man. Hell yeah, that would be sweet. I love that organization, man. I love my time there, seriously. Me leaving, people shouldn’t doubt that, because I left there.”
Durant returns to the Bay Area and finally makes his Chase Center debut on Tuesday for the season-opening matchup between his Phoenix Suns and his former team.
The 35-year-old Durant participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of the arena in 2019 following his two championships with the Warriors that came with two NBA Finals MVPs.
A few months later, he departed and joined Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn.
While he’s anxious about his return, Durant believes there will be no animosity when he plays in front of the Warriors fans for the first time since his hasty departure.
“I’ve played there without the fans and I played against them in an arena where they were [the visiting team]. But definitely, Bay Area fans are one of a kind. So, I know they’re going to show love, but I’m not expecting nothing extra, to be honest,” Durant said.
Draymond Green to Miss Season Opener
Warriors forward Draymond Green will miss the season opener as he is still recovering from a left lateral ankle sprain he suffered three days before training camp.
The Warriors, however, announced on October 22 that Green has been cleared to practice 5-on-5, indicating that his return is imminent.
Without Green, Jonathan Kuminga, who had a phenomenal preseason, is expected to step up while the veteran forward is out.
Joe Lacob Weighs in on Klay Thompson’s Extension Talks
Klay Thompson had an up-and-down preseason for the Warriors.
Is the uncertainty of his tenure with the Warriors taking a toll on him?
“I hope it’s not a distraction,” Lacob said in an interview with 95.7 The Game’s Bonta Hill and Joe Shasky on “The Morning Roast” on Wednesday, a few hours before the game. “I mean, we’re not in control of this.”
“There are two sides to every negotiation. We want him back. He wants to be back. It’s kind of like Draymond [Green’s contract situation this past summer]. I think everyone needs to just chill a little bit. Let it take its course. My guess is it works out. I can’t control it. I can’t dictate it. You can’t dictate it. Fans can’t dictate it. These things have to take their course. There are different parties involved, but the intentions are really good,” Lacob continued.