Kevin Durant has already acknowledged that the Golden State Warriors tried to reunite with him at last season’s trade deadline. But at a recent business summit, the two-time Finals MVP revealed just how close it came — and why he ultimately shut the door.
Speaking at the CNBC Sport and Boardroom Game Plan on Sept. 16, Durant detailed how his longtime business partner, Rich Kleiman, played a key role in stopping a deal that could have reshaped the NBA landscape.
“I heard Golden State was in the mix around the trade deadline, but that’s when Rich came into play, and those relationships that we built around the league and also playing in Golden State helped,” Durant told the audience. “We were able to tell them kind of hold off on that.”
The Cost of a Kevin Durant Reunion
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne, the Warriors were prepared to give up significant pieces in a multi-team framework that involved the Suns, Heat, and Wizards.
“The three-way talks even expanded to loop in Washington. Those talks included Butler, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas, two first-round picks (from the Warriors) and two second-round picks (one each from the Heat and Warriors), and pick swaps going to the Suns, sources said. The Warriors would’ve received Durant, while the Heat could’ve received [Andrew] Wiggins, Cleveland’s 2025 first-round pick (via Phoenix), Dennis Schroder and Kyle Anderson.”
Durant would have returned to Golden State, where he won his two championships and two NBA Finals MVPs.
Why Durant Said No
For Durant, the math didn’t add up. From his perspective, a reunion would have gutted the Warriors’ depth and mortgaged their future — leaving him in a situation eerily similar to what he already faced in Phoenix.
“I get why y’all want to trade me… that’s just business,” Durant said on The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis back in February. “But from me looking at it, it just doesn’t make sense for either side right now to go through that. It’s just such a big change to make and I’ve been through it before. I was like damn, that’s not really it. If I can stop it, then why not?”
Durant emphasized that midseason trades for superstars often leave the acquiring team depleted.
“A player like me costs a lot,” Durant explained. “Going into your team is gonna be a whole new era… and that’s a lot of work through the season. I’m still of value, especially with my contract and just my production. Me just getting up and moving in the middle of the season, it’s going to be a big blow to any team I’m going.”
Warriors Pivot to Jimmy Butler
Once Durant effectively nixed the talks, Golden State shifted focus. Instead of reuniting with their former superstar, the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler in a separate multi-team deal. Wiggins was ultimately moved in that trade, but the Warriors managed to keep Kuminga.
The move paid dividends initially. With Butler in tow, Golden State surged in the standings and advanced to the Western Conference semifinals. But a hamstring injury to Stephen Curry derailed their playoff push, cutting short what could have been a deep postseason run.
Fallout for the Future
Durant’s decision not to return left the Warriors with a very different future than the one that could have unfolded. Instead of being anchored by a Curry-Durant reunion, Golden State now faces uncertainty around Kuminga’s contract negotiations.
The 22-year-old forward has emerged as one of the franchise’s most promising young players, but he remains locked in a tense standoff over a new deal.
For now, Warriors fans are left to wonder what might have been: a reunion with one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, or a new era being built around the next generation.
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