When Kevin Durant requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets earlier this offseason, he probably didn’t imagine that his former team, the Golden State Warriors, would throw their hat into the ring.
The two sides parted amidst a bit of drama, and the Warriors have fared just fine without the former MVP. However, according to a recent report, the prospect of the 2022 NBA champs making a move for Durant is not out of the question.
As far as NBA insider Brian Windhorst knows, the idea of such a trade taking place is a “discussion.”
“There’s legitimate sources in the league telling me that it’s a discussion,” Windhorst said. “First off, the Warriors always believe in open throttle. The Warriors have shown they don’t care what they spend. … This has been a discussion inside the Warriors organization. [Stephen] Curry’s been asked about it, and Curry gave a nonanswer. But he didn’t shut it down. He didn’t say ‘hell no.'”
As far as the public knows, the Warriors are not on Durant’s list of preferred destinations. At the moment, the two primary teams that have popped up on that list are the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat. However, little traction has seemingly been made by either club on a potential deal.
As for the Warriors, they certainly have their fair share of young and talented players in addition to future draft picks that they could move to get a deal done.
However, the question remains whether the Warriors would actually benefit from such a move. Undoubtedly, Durant is one of the most skilled players in the NBA.
However, trading for him would likely decimate the Warriors’ youth and depth. It would be quite the price to pay to regain a player who left on rocky terms just a few years ago.
With all this in mind, one thing is clear: The Warriors are now a team to keep an eye on going forward in the Durant sweepstakes.
