Report: Warriors Interested in Kevin Durant Trade

Could Golden State reunite Kevin Durant and Steph Curry?

Image via Getty/Andrew D. Bernstein

There are a few teams who have been tied to Kevin Durant since it was reported that he would seek a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. Outside of some speculation, primarily driven by narratives, the Golden State Warriors have not been one of these teams. Having just won the championship, in their first healthy season since Kevin Durant left for Brooklyn, it is understandable why the Warriors would prefer to prioritize roster continuity and future assets over another super-team era with Kevin Durant. 

While the aforementioned logic seems to be the most sound, a recent report from ESPN's Marc Spears indicates that the Warriors do indeed have interest in Kevin Durant. Spears initially reported Golden State's interest on an ESPN radio segment, and expanded upon his report with a Tweet:

It’s no surprise to me that Warriors have interest in Kevin Durant, according to sources. So does more more than half the league. It’s KEVIN DURANT. You better make the call if you’re an NBA GM. It’s KEVIN DURANT.

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) July 3, 2022

Having been adamant on maintaining their youth while remaining competitive, it seems counterproductive for the Warriors to gut much of their youth and future draft assets to bring back Kevin Durant. The move would certainly make them better now, maximizing the last few years of Steph Curry's prime; however, the team has already proven they can win without Kevin Durant.

Because of this, it seems possible that the Warriors may have allowed their name to be included in this report, subsequently driving up Durant's price for a suitor such as the Phoenix Suns. From the beginning, it has seemed most likely that Durant would end up in Phoenix, a Western Conference rival of the Warriors, so if Golden State can create the idea that their Durant package is in play, Brooklyn could potentially have the opportunity to extort more out of a team like Phoenix.

There are several ways to interpret Golden State's reported interest in Kevin Durant, but fresh off a title, the organization is set up for success regardless of how they approach this situation.

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