Kevin Durant joining the Golden State Warriors remains one of the most surprising and controversial moves in NBA history. Although this signing took everybody by surprise, Draymond Green admits he was “plotting” the move for a year.
“When I signed my deal, B.J. Armstrong was my agent. The conversation me and B.J. had was, ‘Listen, here’s your whole cap table. Here’s what it is next year. The cap next year jumps to this. Look who’s a free agent next year: KD. Here’s what you can take and y’all still be able to pay him max,'” Green said on Carmelo Anthony’s “7PM in Brooklyn” show.
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Green then recalled that he took $3 million less than he could have, thinking it would have helped the Warriors add more pieces to the roster. Following a painful end to the 2015-16 NBA season, the Warriors decided to go after Durant, ultimately landing the 2014 NBA MVP.
That partnership paid up instantly, resulting in three straight trips to the NBA Finals and two championships in 2017 and 2018. This move will always be criticized by fans, but Durant and the Warriors have moved on from that and still try to win after going separate ways.
The Warriors won another championship in 2022, with Stephen Curry winning his first Final MVP, while Durant has been unable to relive the old glories with the Brooklyn Nets (2019-23) and Phoenix Suns.
Several years after Durant changed the NBA forever, this remains a sensitive topic among fans. Still, there’s nothing anybody can do to change history or take those titles away from the Warriors.
