Draymond Green Makes Blunt Kevin Durant Statement After Trade Speculation

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ryan Brooks | Last updated Feb 8, 2025 12:30 PM ET

The NBA trade deadline for the 2024-25 season was the most chaotic in league history. That might even be an understatement, too.

Headlined by the Dallas Mavericks trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, netting Anthony Davis in return, the landscape of the league certainly changed after the deadline.

While the Phoenix Suns made just one move, offloading one draft pick and Jusuf Nurkic, they were eager for more.

The Suns tried endlessly to land Jimmy Butler, who requested a trade from the Miami Heat. While Bradley Beal's no-trade clause and Phoenix's limited wiggle room posed many challenges, the team struck out on a Butler deal.

In a last-ditch effort to make a move work, the Suns answered the Golden State Warriors' call on Kevin Durant's availability -- which came as a shock as the 36-year-old superstar didn't ask for a trade.

The Warriors, who eventually landed Butler in a trade, nearly secured Durant's return in a deal that the Suns were eager to make.

Durant being firm in not wanting to return to Golden State -- in large part due to his injury history with the club and sour relationship with Draymond Green -- is why the Warriors didn't make the deal.

For Green, what was his reaction to the Warriors not being able to land Durant because he didn't want to return? Unbothered.

“Didn’t affect my life one bit. Why would it?” Green said, according to Mark Medina.

Evidently, had Green not been the reason for Durant's initial departure, along with how the team handled the superstar's injury, the deadline might have played out differently.

Green's reaction was simple, though. It didn't matter to him or affect his life, which is a reasonable reaction since Golden State pivoted and struck a deal to land Butler.

The Warriors are going to look to make a push for the postseason with Stephen Curry, Butler and Green while the Suns are going to have to do everything to salvage their relationship with Durant after nearly trading him.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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