Steve Kerr opens up on Golden State Warriors’ near reunion with Kevin Durant before game-changing Jimmy Butler deal | NBA News
The Warriors were looking for a spark. Something had to shift. As the trade deadline crept closer, Golden State had a quiet understanding behind the scenes: the roster needed help.What almost happened was a blockbuster reunion with Kevin Durant. What actually happened? A Jimmy Butler trade that no one saw coming, and one that may have saved their season.
The blockbuster reunion that nearly happened: How the Golden State Warriors almost landed Kevin Durant
Even though Steve Kerr wasn’t going to say it outright before the deadline, the signs were all there. The Warriors needed more firepower. And for a brief moment, it looked like Kevin Durant was going to be the answer.Kevin Durant, now with the Phoenix Suns, had already made history in the Bay Area. The idea of him returning wasn’t just wishful thinking—it was a real conversation. Phoenix actually offered him up in a deal, and Golden State was seriously considering it.“I think it’s well documented that we were trying to get Kevin Durant, but that didn’t happen,” Kerr said recently.Fans wondered if the 2019 exit still left tension. Rumors flew around about why Durant didn’t come back. But he shut all of that down when he spoke with ESPN.“People talk crazy about me all the time,” Durant said. “That’s not the reason why I didn’t want to come back. I just didn’t want to get traded midway through the season. It was nothing against my time with the Warriors.”Once Durant was off the table, the front office moved quickly. Kerr got the call from General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. with a surprising name.“Mike calls me and says, ‘I think we’re going to trade for Jimmy Butler, I’m going to vouch for him. Guy’s a gamer, hell of a player, and I think that’s gonna work.’ And I said, ‘Great, let’s do it.’ We needed a change,” Kerr said.That change came fast. Butler’s grit and experience immediately clicked with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, giving the Warriors a new edge. The trio powered the team through the postseason with renewed purpose.Also Read: Steve Kerr paints a real picture of Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler defining playoff fate after Golden State Warriors’ devastating exitWhile Butler delivered in the playoffs, questions remain heading into the offseason. Durant is expected to be on the move again, and Golden State is expected to stay aggressive. With unfinished business between both sides, could another round of trade talks be on the horizon? One thing is certain—if the Warriors aim to reclaim their championship form, this summer won’t be quiet.
