Kevin Durant will not be returning to the Golden State Warriors.
ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reports that the Phoenix Suns superstar “has no desire in a reunion with the Warriors,” despite Golden State “seriously pursuing” Durant over the last week.
“He does not want to go back to the Warriors where he won two championships, won two Finals MVPs,” Charania said on ESPN’s “NBA Today.”
“The Suns’ position in all of this has been to continue to build around Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, but due to their record, teams have been very aggressive calling the Suns,” Charania continued. “It’s unclear where these talks go between now and tomorrow’s deadline, but one thing is clear around the league right now, and that’s Kevin Durant doesn’t want to go back to the Warriors in any trade.”
As Golden State pursues Phoenix’s Kevin Durant, the two-time Warriors NBA Finals MVP has no desire in a reunion and does not want to go back. Reporting for NBA Today: pic.twitter.com/tNeTzw2gCf
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2025
While Durant’s reluctance to return to the team where he had his most successful career run might surprise some, one NBA insider has revealed the major reason behind the 14-time All-Star’s decision.
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Insider: Kevin Durant nixed Warriors trade because he didn’t want to play with former teammate
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Durant has serious reservations about returning to Golden State, primarily because he has no interest in reuniting with former Warriors teammate Draymond Green.
“[H]is final season as a Warrior in 2018-19 was of course marked by a devastating Achilles injury … as well as a growing belief that he wanted a dramatic change of scenery (which he found in Brooklyn) and no longer wanted to play alongside Draymond Green,” Fischer reports, via NBA Central.
Reports suggest that Kevin Durant has serious reservations about a potential return to the Warriors if he were to be traded there, per @TheSteinLine
“…his final season as a Warrior in 2018-19 was of course marked by a devastating Achilles injury … as well as a growing… pic.twitter.com/cJhCONElsi
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 5, 2025
Despite winning two championships together, Durant and Green had a rocky relationship during their time with the Warriors. While they’ve reportedly mended fences since then, the relationship apparently hasn’t improved enough for Durant to consider a reunion.
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday, and Durant’s future with the Suns remains uncertain.