The Golden State Warriors were looking to bring back former star Kevin Durant ahead of the 2025 NBA trade deadline, but Durant ultimately turned down any chance of a reunion. Despite winning two NBA Finals and two NBA Finals MVP awards while playing for the Warriors, Durant was opposed to getting traded back to Golden State.
The Warriors were reportedly interested in trading for Durant, even potentially giving up Draymond Green to do so, but Durant was "cold" on returning to the franchise that helped him win his first championship. The Warriors decided to respect Durant's wishes, and went in another direction, bringing Jimmy Butler in from the Miami Heat.
Former Warriors general manager Bob Myers, who originally brought Durant to the Warriors in 2016, and spoke to Durant ahead of the trade deadline, offered a potential reason Durant didn't want to return to the Warriors.
"Kevin could've gone anywhere in 2016 ... He went to the Warriors and he's the only person in the whole equation that took criticism for [coming to the Warriors in 2016]," Myers said on ESPN. "I didn't, Joe Lacob didn't, Steve Kerr didn't, Steph Curry didn't, Draymond Green didn't. Only Kevin was the one that faced scrutiny."
Bob Myers speculates on why Kevin Durant may have been reluctant to come back to the Warriors:
— KNBR (@KNBR) February 6, 2025
"He's the only one in the whole equation that took criticism for [coming to GS in 2016]. I didn't, Joe Lacob didn't, Steve Kerr didn't, Steph Curry didn't, Draymond Green didn't. Only… pic.twitter.com/KJJh6FlW93
Before Durant joined the Warriors, the lone achievement missing from his resumé was a championship win. When he originally decided to become a Warrior, he received a lot of flack for "taking the easy way out" to win a ring by joining a Warriors team that had already made the last two NBA Finals and won one without him.
Myers also noted during his recent conversation with Durant that the superstar doesn't want to leave the Phoenix Suns. "‘I don’t want to go anywhere," Myers said Durant told him. "I don’t want to be traded.’"
Myers is also glad Golden State didn't force a trade for Durant. "I actually think the Warriors did the right thing by honoring Kevin's request," Myers said.
While a reunion between Durant and Golden State would have made for some great headlines, the new-look Warriors with Butler should be plenty entertaining.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bob Myers Offers Potential Reason Kevin Durant Turned Down Warriors Reunion.
