Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant terrorized the NBA for two seasons in a row, as the Golden State Warriors became one of the most stacked teams in NBA history after acquiring KD in 2016. The dynamic scoring duo was lethal, with teams not being able to handle the amount of offense on the floor and caving to the Warriors who won back-to-back championships before Durant decided to leave for the Nets.
Since his trade request, though, there have been many that have linked the Slim Reaper with a move back to Golden State. And while it's looked unlikely for several reasons, Brian Windhorst said on ESPN's Get Up that it simply cannot be ruled out at the moment either, citing Steph's behavior as a reason.
"Yeah, I think this says a lot about the Warriors organization that they would be coming off a championship and Steph Curry coming off a crowning moment in his career, and he wouldn't slam the door shut on this. Steph Curry’s got the kind of clout where he can shut this down, but he’s not. Joe Lacob is not.
"I should point out that on the same podcast, Joe Lacob said his payroll is not going to get to $400 million, which it would in all likelihood in a Kevin Durant trade. There's also the complication of Andrew Wiggins and Ben Simmons not being allowed to be on the same roster.
"I know those are pesky details, but I think the reality is that the price tag for Durant is not high as the Nets may want it. And if the price tag maybe slips a little bit... Some teams that were just sort of casual bystanders in the first round may be like, maybe we should get in on this. And in fairness, you have to put the Warriors on that list. I don't think it's likely, but it would be irresponsible of my to say scratch them off."
It's impossible to say for sure at this time if Durant will even be traded, but the thought of him returning to the Warriors opens up several new narratives. With many still suggesting that he has to win a ring as the main man on a franchise, returning to the franchise where he had the most success might have a positive and negative impact on his legacy.
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