Steve Kerr's Brutally Honest Statement on Kevin Durant Rejecting Warriors Trade

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr shares brutally honest statement after Kevin Durant rejected Warriors reunion

Jan 12, 2018; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr talks to forward Kevin Durant (35) in the fourth quarter during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Golden State Warriors were desperate to acquire a star player before the February 6th NBA trade deadline, as it was reported they made calls all across the league to see who they could pair with Steph Curry. One of the names that was rumored the most was former Warrior and now Phoenix Suns forward, Kevin Durant.

Even though Phoenix took calls from other teams on Durant, they opted to stay put and hold on to the 15-time All-Star for the remainder of the season. One of the reasons the Suns stayed put was because Durant declined a return to Golden State, and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr recently spoke out about the situation.

Steve Kerr:

“I don't blame Kevin Durant one bit for not wanting to rerun things here. He took so much s*** for like, 'Oh, you're jumping on the bandwagon'. And then he's Finals MVP two years in a row. It's like he still gets criticized… So why would he want to face all that… pic.twitter.com/l9KaKXhGFy

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 14, 2025

"I don't blame Kevin Durant one bit for not wanting to rerun things here," Kerr shared. "He took so much **** for like, 'Oh, you're jumping on the bandwagon'. And then he's Finals MVP two years in a row. It's like he still gets criticized… So why would he want to face all that B.S. again?”

Durant joined Golden State in the summer of 2016, as the Warriors were coming off a season where they broke the NBA record for wins in a season at 73-9. While Durant would've returned to a far different situation in 2025 had he been willing to return, there'd still be criticism regarding his legacy as a player if he did.

"[The Warriors] really feel like they had an agreement in place to go get Kevin Durant. ... The only problem was Kevin Durant did not want to go back." 😲 @ShamsCharania and @KendrickPerkins on KD's future with the Phoenix Suns 👀 pic.twitter.com/DhqsHJJC4l

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 13, 2025

While Durant wasn't the choice, Golden State did land Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat, and he's been impressive so far in four appearances.

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