Report: Draymond Green Told Kevin Durant He Could Leave Warriors, They Don't Need Him
In addition to calling Kevin Durant a "b----" several times, Warriors All-Star Draymond Green also dared the two-time Finals MVP to leave Golden State in free agency during their altercation Monday, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports.
During Monday's heated exchange between the two players, Green reportedly told Durant he was not needed on the team, citing the team's 2015 NBA championship as proof they could succeed at the highest level without Durant.
While the players were going back and forth in the huddle after Green's turnover at the end of regulation that sent the contest against the Clippers to overtime, Green reportedly told Durant, "you're a b---- and you know you're a b----." Green spoke like this even while coach Steve Kerr tried to gather the team together to get ready for the overtime period, which they eventually lost.
Additionally, Green told Durant something similar to "We don't need you. We won without. Leave." Haynes reports it was a comment along those lines that was the cause of Green's one-game suspension he served during Tuesday's win over the Hawks. The team's front office doesn't want to push Durant away as they see him as vital to the Warriors' future, and they want him there for the opening of the Chase Center, the team's new San Francisco arena, which opens next season.
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It was previously reported that Green is among a group of Warriors who feel Durant has made his free agency the focus of the team's season. Along with that, some players on the team are already preparing for Durant to exit this summer when he can hit the open market thanks to his player option for next season.
There is also talk that some of the team's veterans have grown tired of Green's emotional outbursts.
Prior to Thursday's blowout loss to the Rockets, Green spoke about the incident, talked with Durant during the team's shootaround and walked into the arena with him when the team arrived for the contest. Green had five rebounds, five assists, five turnovers and no points in the 107-86 defeat, and after the game, he told reporters, "If those emotions are what caused us to lose [Thursday night], then my bad."
Durant was asked about his relationship with Green after the loss and responded, "Don't ask me about that again."
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"We're banged up a little bit physically and right now we're banged up spiritually," Kerr told reporters after the game. "There's no getting around that."
Golden State is now 12-4 on the season after dropping three of its last five games. Haynes reports Green returned prematurely from a toe injury that kept him out earlier in the season. Stephen Curry missed his fourth straight game Thursday with a groin injury, and he will be re-evaluated in eight days.
