Report: Warriors ‘Underestimated’ Kevin Durant’s ‘Coldness’ Toward A Return

According to NBA reporter Anthony Slater of The Athletic, the Golden State Warriors underestimated Kevin Durant‘s coldness toward a return. 

The Warriors had a deal to acquire Durant from the Phoenix Suns. The Miami Heat would have traded Jimmy Butler to the Suns while getting Andrew Wiggins from Golden State. 

However, Durant blocked the trade by making it known he didn’t want to return to the Warriors. 

“At some point in the last several days, Stephen Curry had a conversation with Kevin Durant that convinced him a reunion was extremely unlikely, no matter how much the Golden State Warriors ownership group and front office collectively ‘underestimated’ Durant’s coldness toward a return, as one team source put it,” Slater wrote. “Eventually the decision-makers accepted the inevitable and pivoted their NBA trade deadline plans to Jimmy Butler. Bradley Beal’s no-trade clause locked the Phoenix Suns out of the Butler sweepstakes. That piece of unchanging information allowed general manager Mike Dunleavy, owner Joe Lacob and assistant general manager Kirk Lacob a level of patience, even while Butler postured about his lack of Warriors’ interest in hopes of a miracle in Phoenix, where a longer max extension awaited.”

Durant will remain with the Suns, while Butler got traded to the Warriors and Wiggins got dealt to the Heat. 

“You knew all the talks that were going on in the last week,” Curry said. “But until the front office pulls the trigger, you don’t necessarily believe anything is going to happen.”

The Warriors signed Butler to a two-year, $112 million extension. The small forward declined his player option for next season in the process.

“Him signing an extension is big,” Curry said. “Knowing he’s committed for this next little run … I know there was a lot of drama down there (in Miami). Who really knows what the story is? We expect to have a motivated, committed Jimmy.

“I can put myself in his shoes. He’s been away from the game for a minute. He’s been frustrated for whatever reason. When you get into a situation that’s a fresh start, it establishes expectations that we’re all used to that we need to win. We all thrive off that energy. Doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy, doesn’t mean there won’t be challenges.”

The Warriors are in 11th place in the Western Conference standings. They are only 25-25. 

Meanwhile, the Suns are in 10th place. They are 25-25 as well.