This Independence Day marks the sixth anniversary of Kevin DurantChange league to join the Warriors. Could July also feature a comeback?
Mark Spears of ESPN Andscape first mentioned the potential interest in Warriors. Warriors can undoubtedly put together one of the best packages for Durant trading. And for a front desk known for taking out every stone, they’ll have to check out the opportunity to add Durant.
However, according to multiple Warriors organization sources, a reunion is highly unlikely. Nothing about the past three years suggests that the warriors would be willing to pay for the KD dividend. This price is likely (and said) an all-star caliber player, young talent and a host of recruiting options.
Golden State has all three, which is why this is a conversation. They have four desirable young talents: goalkeeper Jordan PaulCenter James Wiseman and the attackers Jonathan Kuminga And the Moses Modi – They all show great potential, and of the four, only Wiseman and Paul can legally buy alcohol. Andrew Wiggins, the player who will raise his salary, has never been more valuable in the league. He was a regular All-Star player in the Western Conference last year and has proven during the post-season that he is one of the best two-way players in the league.
Of course, Wiggins’ trading is a major hurdle. Besides the fact that everyone in the organization loves him, Wiggins can only be included in a business deal with him Brooklyn If nets trade Ben Simmons first. CBA rules prohibit two players who have earned a “designated Rookie Max” on the same team.
Draft picks are where the bargain warriors fall short. They are in good standing for at least the next four years, which is how long Stephen Curry subject to contract. So it’s possible that the bonus for the picks Brooklyn would ask for are the late first-round picks, and that’s not quite as much as the draft payout they could get elsewhere.
The bigger issue is whether the warriors are willing to give up any of them. They just won a title with this winning and development scheme to connect the core of the tournament with the youth. But they also passed the retention of the main veterans of the Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr. in part to make room for the developmental aspect of that duality. Poole, Wiseman, Kuminga, and Moody – probably safe to throw Wiggins in there too – are the Warriors’ grand plan for continued success after Prime Curry, Draymond Green And the Klay Thompson. To redeem those assets for Durant, who will turn 34 when next season begins, he is essentially getting rid of the Warriors’ winning and development plan.
Is there a middle ground? A scenario where two small pieces are kept and Durant is acquired? A three-team deal that could satisfy Brooklyn’s demands and keep the Warriors’ wardrobe stocked? Well, that’s up to Brooklyn, really. It’s not impossible, but no one in the organization deals with it or plans for it.
Another key question: If trade were possible, would Durant’s locker room leaders welcome? According to multiple sources, they embraced him for the same reason in 2016.
“I mean, it’s scary Kevin Durant,” one source said.
The Warriors stars had talks with Durant. In addition to catching up, colleagues associated with the Hall of Fame have also received the idea of a reunion. It was mostly about the amazing nature of hers even being possible. The idea of them playing together again should have seemed impossible when Durant left free agency in 2019. And they haven’t lost sight of how life has given them a chance to complete the episode. They see it, like everyone else, and talk about it, like everyone else.
This is not the case where the Star Warriors are pressing the front desk to go buy Durant. Sources explained that they are doing well in defending their title with Wiggins, Paul and the young players who have been preparing to win with them. But if the universe somehow made it so that the myths meet again, they would be open to it.
The talent of the quartet Carrie-Durant-Green-Thompson has never been questioned. How the race ended is a source of uncertainty. But the positive vibes of their conversations this season suggest that they can click again.
Memories of the 2017 championship are at the core of their desire to be reunited. How much fun did they have while playing at such a high level together. How much they enjoyed each other. One of the facts missing from years of rankings and comparisons is how, at their best, they complement each other so well both on and off the field. The most amazing spectacle of this quartet is a group of good guys who love the ring, are highly skilled and have a great relationship with each other.
If this happened, and they both ended up together, the context would be a lot different, which is definitely a factor. Some of the outside narratives that added stress during Durant’s first period will not be applicable this time around.
The Warriors trio exited a championship and not a heartbreaking loss of Game 7. Curry, Greene and Thompson proved they could win another title without owning the best team away from Earth, as they did with Durant. They are now sealed. And this time, Durant’s coming to the Warriors will be a Brooklyn act. That’s a little different from Durant’s selection to join the 73-win Warriors, which attracted heavy scrutiny back in 2016. He can’t be blamed (just as much) for having the Warriors’ best netting package and cashing in their chips.
Durant is reported to have been included in the list Phoenix And the Miami as his best choice. But in his podcast, ConclusionDurant was adamant about his affinity with his former teammates and their work together.
“I felt like I contributed in a positive way every second I was in that arena,” Durant said on his podcast. “From practice, shooting, games. So you don’t take that bullshit from me. I always have a lot of respect no matter how you try to set my old teammates against me, try to lie to my name and say I’m jealous and envy of these guys.” .. I was always with the group.”
And aside from the romance of past grandeur, it also makes sense that not everyone in the organization is on board for the reunion.
Want Management Warriors to get back to having four stars to manage? As harmonious as 2017 was, 2019 was that daunting. Members of the organization, including coach Steve Kerr, have spoken candidly about the difficulty of the 2018-2019 season and how it exhausted everyone by the end of Durant’s three-year tenure. They have become a thunderbolt to a team the media monster has been feeding on. They also have their own problems internally. Will management sign up for another round?
One element that may ease past tensions is Durant’s four-year contract. The uncertainty that came with his one-year deals will be appeased, and everyone is wondering if he’ll come back. Additionally, his contract is in line with Curry’s deal, both of which expire after the 2025-26 season. Carey will be 38 years old and Durant a few months later than 38.
For Thompson and Green, their contracts expire after the 2023-24 season. So it should be extended to give this quartet more than two years. Those numbers would be an astronomical price point for four players. Lacob showed that there is a limit to the amount he is willing to spend. So in order to keep all these players, they’ll have to surround them with cheaper deals or commit to more historical luxury tax fines.
But how many titles can those four win in another four years together?
Championship potential is what tempts Durant’s return. As it was in 2016, the allure of capturing titles at Legendary levels is intimidating and the core of the Warriors Championship prides itself on setting ego aside in order to win. It would make sense for Durant to view their past dominance and relationship as a quartet positively after the chaos and futility of his three seasons in Brooklyn.
A lot happened in the three years they were together and in the three years that followed. They are all older, more experienced, and more appreciated. The noise won’t go away completely, but they’ll be, in a utopian sense, freer this time around to focus on basketball. If they are willing to do it again, this seems to indicate that they all believe, in general, that their experience together was good and worth reviving – if the stars align.
But there are many potential obstacles. Maybe enough to keep it just virtual. An interesting thought experiment to chew on. That’s all it looks like at this point.
(Photo: Kyle Terada/USA Today)
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