Kevin Durant Turns Heads With Fresh Take on Warriors Trade This Summer
Kevin Durant didn’t want a trade to the Golden State Warriors ahead of the NBA’s Feb. 6 deadline, but his tune on a return to the Bay Area has changed meaningfully in the approximately three weeks since. Durant appeared on “The Draymond Green Show With Baron Davis,” on Wednesday, Feb. 26, and opened up to his former teammate about why he didn’t want to leave the Phoenix Suns mid-season. However, with just one year remaining on his contract and the Suns struggling to remain in the Western Conference playoff picture — they currently occupy 11th place, 2.5 games and one spot out of the NBA’s Play-In Tournament — Durant softened his stance from a full veto of a trade back to the Warriors to “figuring it out” this summer.
“I didn’t want to move, and I get why you want to trade me, simple fact that’s business,” Durant said. “But for me looking at it … we can play the season out and if that’s the decision you want to make in the offseason, then we figure it out.”
Whether that is possible now that Jimmy Butler is on the Dubs’ roster remains to be seen. The Warriors gave up Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Dennis Schroeder, Lindy Waters III and a top-10 protected first-round pick in 2025 in order to get Butler. Golden State will need to rustle up enough player money to match Durant’s $54.7 million salary in 2025-26, which probably means signing Jonathan Kuminga to a big extension and including him in the deal. The team will also need to put together a draft asset/player package that could compete with other offers for Durant from around the NBA if he hits the trade block.
