New Footage Surfaces on Kevin Durant Rejecting Warriors Trade Rumors

Footage from Netflix's Starting 5 shows Kevin Durant addresses the Golden State Warriors trade deadline situation

Oct 16, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) warms up prior to the game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Kevin Durant will embark on his 18th season in the NBA on October 21st, where he'll make his debut with the Houston Rockets after being acquired via a blockbuster offseason trade. His tenure with the Phoenix Suns wasn't exactly ideal, as the team wasn't able to build off its NBA Finals appearance in 2021 despite adding Durant to the mix.

However, before he ended up in Houston, rumors were tying him to a return with the Golden State Warriors, specifically around the trade deadline. Nothing ended up happening, as it was reported that Durant declined the trade. But, in a surfaced clip from Netflix's Starting 5, it showed the genuine reaction of Durant to the situation.

“No fucking way they tryna do this shit behind my back… But don’t send me to the Warriors… I told Steph [Curry] ‘I don’t think it’s a smart move for either one of us basketball-wise”

Kevin Durant on not wanting to go to the Warriors at the deadline 🗣️

pic.twitter.com/SwATyZD5AS

— LoonMuse⚜️ (@KevonLooneyMuse) October 17, 2025

“No f****** way they tryna do this s*** behind my back," Durant said. "…But don’t send me to the Warriors, that's what I was saying. I know if you got to trade me, make it somewhere else but the Warriors… I told Steph [Curry] ‘I don’t think it’s a smart move for either one of us basketball-wise.”

Durant went on to point out that it wasn't necessarily that he didn't want to return to Golden State, but he didn't want to be traded somewhere mid-season, where he'd gut the roster and worsen their chances at winning. Durant told Golden State to wait to see after the season, but the trade for Jimmy Butler essentially made trading for Durant impossible.

What Could Have Happened?

Wow: the Warriors proposed sending Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga, 1st-round picks, 2nd-round picks, and pick swaps to the Suns for Kevin Durant.

The trade fell through when KD showed zero interest in returning to the Warriors. (via @ShamsCharania) pic.twitter.com/4DWVBUayaG

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 7, 2025

Butler joined Golden State and immediately started contributing to winning, helping the Warriors go from a lottery team to a playoff team. The case very well could've been the same for Durant, but he wouldn't have cost the same as Butler.

Golden State essentially parted ways with Dennis Schroder, Andrew Wiggins, and a first-round pick to land Butler, which wasn't much but made sense given his situation with the Miami Heat at the time. For Golden State to land Durant, it likely would've cost multiple first-round picks, and likely one of Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, or Jonathan Kuminga.

“[The Warriors] impact on him was insane... Y’all acting like when [Kevin Durant] was with Golden State, he did not have Steph Curry... Now you are telling me everywhere he’s [gone], he has this crew... No, he has not had that!”

— Gilbert Arenas 👀pic.twitter.com/hIn66zFzO5

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 15, 2025

Given how the Oklahoma City Thunder dominated en route to the NBA Finals, it probably wouldn't have made sense for Golden State to shell out all those assets in hindsight.

Regardless, Durant is with the Rockets, and a return to Golden State down the line doesn't seem to be in the cards. The Warriors face Durant and Houston on November 26th in Golden State.