NBA Rumors: Stephen Curry Talks About Kevin Durant And His Departure From Golden State Warriors
After failing to defend their throne in the 2018-19 NBA season, the Golden State Warriors took another huge blow this summer when they lost one of their best players, Kevin Durant, in the 2019 NBA free agency. Despite strong efforts from the Warriors to convince him to stay, Durant still ended up leaving Golden State to team up with Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan on the Brooklyn Nets.
In an interview with Rachel Nichols of ESPN, Stephen Curry revealed that he was on his way to New York to meet Kevin Durant when he made his free agency decision. Curry admitted that he was very disappointed with Durant’s decision and added that if he would be the one to decide, he wished that he “could still play” with the All-Star forward in Golden State.
“At the end of the day, we live in an age where choice at the forefront, and K, you know, made a decision for himself and you can’t argue that,” Curry said.
“I wish we could still play with K. He’s an unbelievable talent, unbelievable person. We accomplished a lot together. But — you know, things have changed a little bit. So you obviously wish him the best, obviously with his recovery first and foremost and things on and off the court. But we’re gonna have to battle down the road. So this should be a fun, new experience on that front, too.”
Thanks @WSJ pic.twitter.com/HibBqyxhar
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) September 10, 2019
The Warriors were already a legitimate title contender even before Kevin Durant arrived in the summer of 2016. However, no one can deny the fact that the acquisition of Durant was the main reason why the Warriors were the heavy favorite to bring home the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the past three years. If Durant didn’t suffer an Achilles injury in the recent NBA Finals, the Warriors may have completed their quest for a three-peat.
However, even if the Warriors succeed to win their third consecutive NBA championship title, it seems like Kevin Durant is really determined to leave Golden State. In an interview with J.R. Moehringer of the Wall Street Journal, Durant said that as he stayed longer with the Warriors, he started to realize that he was treated differently compared to the likes of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. Despite helping them win back-to-back championships, Durant claimed that he was never fully accepted as a Warrior.
Stephen Curry strongly denied Kevin Durant’s statements, adding that he and KD are good friends on and off the court. Also, Curry said that he’s respecting Durant’s decision and wished him good luck on his new journey with the Nets. The Warriors may no longer have Durant on their roster but with the core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, D’Angelo Russell, and Draymond Green, Golden State remains a legitimate threat in the deep Western Conference.
As of now, the Warriors continue to find ways to improve their current roster in order to make sure that they will be contending for the NBA championship title for a long period of time. According to a previous The Inquisitr article, the Warriors are currently being considered as a “big threat” to go after reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in the 2021 NBA free agency.
