It has been a tumultuous year for NBA superstar Kevin Durant. After his time with the Phoenix Suns failed to meet lofty expectations, the two sides parted ways. Durant is preparing for the latest, and perhaps final, chapter of his career with the Houston Rockets.
However, the end of his tenure with the Suns remains a sore spot, and recent footage reveals Durant’s raw feelings about a potential trade and his lack of excitement about rejoining one of his former teams.
Why Did Kevin Durant Rule Out a Return to the Golden State Warriors?
Exclusive footage from the new season of the Netflix documentary “Starting 5” shows Durant’s reaction to the Suns putting him on the trade block before last season’s deadline and his refusal to return to the Golden State Warriors. “It’s kind of hitting me. It can happen to me too,” Durant said. “I’m hearing real people that I respect, that are credible in this business telling me that this is about to go down. No way they’re trying to do this behind my back.”
He added, “I understand the business, but don’t send me to the Warriors. If you gotta trade me, make it somewhere else. It’s not because I didn’t want to go back. I didn’t want to go back to the storyline. I don’t even want to get traded.”
Durant has a complicated history with Golden State, where he won back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018 and earned Finals MVP honors in both seasons. Despite the success, there were low moments, including a torn Achilles tendon in the 2019 NBA Finals and public controversies with All-Star Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr.
Ultimately, Durant felt he would always be viewed as an outsider on the Warriors. Team owner Joe Lacob echoed this sentiment, saying Durant was never entirely comfortable on the team.
Unfortunately for Durant, he didn’t find anywhere near the level of success with the Suns that he enjoyed with the Warriors. He arrived in Phoenix via a trade during the 2022-23 season, and while he averaged over 25 points per game during his time as a Sun, he only helped the team win a single playoff series. In his first full season in Phoenix, the Suns were swept out of the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and they failed to make the Play-In Tournament last season.
Durant was traded to the Houston Rockets this offseason. He is expected to be the missing piece on a dynamic young roster.