It wasn’t the viral argument between Kevin Durant and Draymond Green three years ago that caused the superstar forward to leave for the Nets. Instead, it was what took place afterward that set the wheels in motion for Durant’s departure, both players believe.
Early in the 2018-19 season, the two players got into a heated argument when Green fumbled the ball late in regulation of a tie game against the Clippers and failed to get it to Durant. They had to be separated on the bench and it later spilled into the locker room following the loss, with Green questioning the Durant’s loyalty to the Warriors as his free agency loomed. In an interview on Bleacher Report, the two All-Stars addressed the issue and how they believe it was handled wrongly by coach Steve Kerr and general manager Bob Myers.
“It wasn’t the argument,” Durant said. “It was the way that everybody — Steve Kerr — acted like it didn’t happen. Bob Myers tried to discipline you and think that would put the mask over everything. It really felt like that was such a big situation for us as a group, the first time we went through something like that.
“We had to get that s–t all out. … We tried to dance around it. Just the vibe about all of that, it just made s–t weird to me. I’d rather us be who we say we are, family first, communication is key. We didn’t show that. That’s what rubbed me the wrong way more than anything.”
Green said he had a long talk with Myers and Kerr the next day. They both wanted him to apologize to Durant but Green wanted to handle it in his own way.
Kevin Durant and Draymond Green Getty Images“I told them, ‘I’ll talk to (Durant), but ya’ll aren’t going to tell what I need to say,'” he recalled.
After a nearly two-hour talk, Green went home. They brought him in the next day and again asked him to apologize.
“I told them then and there, ‘ya’ll are about to f–k this up. The only [people] that can make this right are me and (Durant). There’s nothing ya’ll can do, and ya’ll are going to f–k this up.’ And in my opinion, they f—-d it up.”
“I think so,” Durant said.
Myers then told Green he was going to suspend him for the next game. Green said he laughed at him.
“Either I’m going to laugh in your face or cuss you out,” Green recalled saying. “I’m going to choose to laugh.”
In the NBA Finals later that season, which the Warriors lost to the Raptors, Durant tore his Achilles tendon and then signed with the Nets. Green and Durant were reunited on the Olympic basketball that just won gold in Tokyo.
The Warriors haven’t been the same since.
