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Kevin Durant was one of the most integral parts of the Golden State Warriors' championship run in 2017 and 2018. However, after the Warriors' Finals loss to the Raptors, he decided to leave the Bay Area and join the Brooklyn Nets.
The Nets had championship expectations when he joined them. At one point, they had James Harden and Kyrie Irving alongside Durant. But the "Big 3" failed to make it to the Conference Finals. The Nets traded Harden earlier this year. The two-time champion requested a trade away from the Nets just hours before free agency.
He is yet to state a reason for his request. According to reports, several teams have expressed interest in onboarding him. Many thought the Golden State Warriors were a contender to land Durant.
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However, NBA reporter Kendra Andrews says that the Dubs are unlikely to make a move for KD. On NBA Today, Andrews said:
"It's not very likely that there is going to be a Warriors and Kevin Durant reunion in Golden State. Have the Warriors made calls, have they reached out, have they talked about it, yes as every team in the league has done as you guys have established on this show.
"Look, there are a lot of different layers to this as why Kevin Durant could or could not come back to the Warriors? At the end of the day though, it comes down to the trade package."
Kevin Durant played some of his best basketball when he was part of the Golden State Warriors. He certainly wants to win a few more championships.
However, the Warriors are happy with their current roster. The Big 3 of Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson are still with the team. Losing players like Gary Payton II, Otto Porter JR and Nemanja Bjelica will be a huge blow. But coach Steve Kerr will find a way to keep the Warriors competitive.
Why can the Warriors not make a trade for Kevin Durant happen?
The Golden State Warriors are fresh off winning the 2022 championship. Undoubtedly, Steph Curry's play cemented the win, but Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole made crucial contributions. The team's priority this offseason was to extend the duo's contract.
Bringing in Kevin Durant would have undoubtedly forced them to do that. In exchange for Durant, the Nets requested a huge haul. Considering that the "Big 3" of the Warriors would be untouchable, Wiggins and Poole would likely be included in the trade.
General manager Bob Myers made clear the team would try to retain the championship roster. Onboarding Durant would be a great move. But the Dubs may have too many "untouchables" to make a deal work.
