Stephen Curry candidly discussed the possibility of the Golden State Warriors trading for Kevin Durant.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Stephen Curry was asked if the Golden State Warriors considered trading for Kevin Durant this offseason. He offered a surprising response.
“Hell, yeah!” Curry said.
"“There was a conversation internally amongst us about ‘If he was available, would you?’ Every team has those conversations, and obviously in our situation, they’re gonna call me and ask me, ‘How do you feel about it?'”"
Curry said he was “never hesitant” about wanting to play with Durant again.
"“I was never hesitant. The idea of playing with KD and knowing who he is as a person, from our history in those three years, I think KD’s a really good dude. I think he is misunderstood. I think he has had certain things happen in his life that hurt his ability to trust people around him, in a sense of making him feel safe at all times. So all of those things, I understand, having played with him and gotten to know him. I love that dude.”"
What would a Kevin Durant trade for Warriors have looked like?
Trading for Durant would have come at a hefty price. The Brooklyn Nets wanted a large trade package in exchange for the 12-time All-Star forward. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania (subscription required), they even turned down a trade offer from the Boston Celtics of Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and a draft pick.
So, what would a Warriors-Nets trade look like? Well, the Warriors could send the Nets Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, and draft picks.
However, Wiggins is currently on a rookie extension, and he is not allowed to be on the same team as Ben Simmons, who is also on a rookie extension, per CBA rules. So, the Nets would have to reroute Wiggins or Simmons to a third team.
Wiseman, Moody, and Kuminga are three young players with upside, and they could help kick off a rebuild in Brooklyn. Even though that offer makes sense on paper, Brooklyn may still not be interested. Their front office appeared to be seeking another “star” player in a returning package.
Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported the Nets were not interested in any trade offer from the Phoenix Suns that did not include Devin Booker.
"“From Brooklyn’s perspective, sources said, there’s no deal to land Durant in Phoenix that doesn’t start with sending back Devin Booker to Barclays Center,” Fischer wrote."
What value can the Nets get from a third team for Wiggins? Do they want Jordan Poole in the trade? Do the Nets value Poole enough to be the centerpiece of a KD trade?
Most importantly, are the Warriors willing to dismantle their reigning championship team to acquire Durant?
Curry was wrestling with that question.
"“And if you said, ‘Oh, KD’s coming back, and we’re gonna play with him,’ I had so much fun playing with him those three years, I’d be like, ‘Hell, yeah!’ Then you have to think: What does that actually mean? What does it look like? You tell me I’m playing with [current Warriors teammates Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, and Draymond Green], I’m like, ‘Hell, yeah!’ There’s all types of emotion and things that happen to the league. And if anybody’s saying that you wouldn’t entertain that conversation — no disrespect to anybody on our team — but you don’t know how things work. But you also understand, like, if we run this thing back, I’ve got complete confidence in my team that we can win it again, as constructed.”"
Ultimately, Durant agreed to reconcile with the Nets. Still, the idea of Durant joining the Warriors is interesting.