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A trade sending Kevin Durant back to the Golden State Warriors may be seen as a long-shot, but some of the team’s stars are at least willing to entertain the idea.
Since Durant asked for a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, reports have emerged that the Warriors could be looking into a deal. While this would mean breaking up the franchise’s carefully crafted plan to build a team that can contend for an extended period, Dieter Kurtenbach of the Mercury News pointed out that the Warriors are one of the few teams that could meet Brooklyn’s asking price.
The idea could be popular with Golden State’s core. A new report claims that some of the star players on the Warriors have spoken directly to Durant about the idea of a reunion.
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Talking About a Reunion
A new report from The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson II claimed that while the team is having internal discussions about the idea of re-acquiring Durant, some of the Warriors players are having external discussions directly with the Nets star.
“The Warriors superstars have been in conversations with Durant. In addition to catching up, the Hall of Fame-bound peers did entertain the idea of a reunion,” Thompson reported. “It was mostly about the stunning nature of it even being possible. The idea of them playing together again had to seem impossible when Durant left in free agency in 2019. It isn’t lost on them how life has contrived an opportunity for them to come full circle. They see it, like everyone else, and talked about it, like everyone else.”
Thompson added that sources within the Warriors organization still pegged the trade as “highly unlikely.” It would come at a very high price, meaning the team would likely have to trade Andrew Wiggins and some combination of young stars — Jordan Poole, James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga or Moses Moody — along with draft picks.
Front Office Goes Its Own Way
Though the Warriors’ front office has made a significant financial in the core of Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, the trio doesn’t always carry sway in the decision-making process. Ahead of the 2021 draft, the three stars made an unsuccessful plea to general manager Bob Myers to trade the team’s pair of lottery picks in exchange for an established star, Thompson of The Athletic reported.
“The Warriors’ trio of stars — Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson — have made it clear to management they want the franchise to focus on the pursuit of a championship, even to consider using their two lottery picks to get someone who can help immediately, sources confirmed,” Thompson reported in July 2021.
Myers ended up going against the wishes of the team’s stars and holding onto the picks, taking Kuminga and Moody. This time, the stars are not “pressing the front office” to land Durant, but wouldn’t be against a reunion if it fell into place, Thompson reported.
“Sources made it clear they are fine defending their title with Wiggins, Poole and the young players they’ve been grooming to win with them,” Thompson wrote. “But if the universe somehow sets it up so legends reunite, they’d be open to it.”
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