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Kevin Durant took heat for deciding to join a stacked Golden State Warriors team in 2016 and came under fire again when he decided to leave after the 2019 season. But Klay Thompson says he doesn’t blame his former teammate for bolting Golden State.
Thompson spoke out about Durant’s decision to join the Brooklyn Nets rather than return to the Warriors. There were rumors of tensions between Durant and some of his Warriors’ teammates at the time, but Thompson seemed to dispel the notion that there is any lingering animosity.
Thompson Understands Durant’s Decision
Speaking to former Warriors Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on their “All the Smoke” podcast, Thompson discussed Durant’s 2019 decision to sign with the Nets. Thompson said he understood why the Washington, D.C., native would want to return to the East Coast, saying he would have done the same.
Thompson added that Durant had nothing left to prove in Golden State, having won two titles and two NBA Finals MVP awards to go with them.
“I don’t blame him, we don’t blame Kevin for leaving at all,” Thompson said. “[Durant] is from the East Coast, and if I was [from] the East Coast and I had a great — was two games away from a three-peat, it’s like, ‘What more do y’all want from me, man? You want a six-peat?’
“If it wasn’t for catastrophic things, we probably would have had three championships in that time, but man, we don’t blame him at all.”
Durant’s Departure Helped Shape Steph Curry’s Legacy
Durant’s decision to leave Golden State became a major storyline last season as Steph Curry led the Warriors to their fourth title in the last eight seasons. The NBA Finals win over the Boston Celtics marked the second time that Curry had led the Warriors to a title without Durant on the roster, which helped to put away any lingering questions over which player was more central to Golden State’s dynasty.
Some believe that last year’s title may have also affected Durant’s decision to return to the Nets after initially requesting a trade The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor believes that Durant’s time in Golden State and perception that he was secondary to Curry may have prompted him to stick it out with Brooklyn.
“Right or wrong, Durant’s two titles in Golden State are remembered by a large segment of the population as his riding the coattails of a Warriors team led by Steph Curry,” he wrote. “Staying with the Nets is Durant’s chance to do things his way with the organization he chose.”
Sports Illustrated’s Chris Herring added that if Durant were to win a title with the Nets — even if they are considered a “superteam” — it would be seen as something he accomplished on his own.
“In a way, joining the Nets could have been seen as the best of both worlds,” he wrote. “In building a contender with Brooklyn, Durant wouldn’t be seen as a mere bandwagon-jumper the way he was by many with Golden State. Even alongside Irving, no one would struggle to ascertain who was most responsible for Brooklyn’s success.”
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