After weighing in earlier in the week on how Kevin Durant‘s contract situation affected the 2018/19 Warriors, Draymond Green got even more candid about the end of the Durant era in Golden State during an appearance on Showtime’s “All the Smoke” with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. As Drew Shiller of NBC Sports Bay Area relays, Green went into detail on his infamous confrontation with Durant during a November 2018 loss to the Clippers.
“He comes to the bench and he slaps the bench like, ‘Yo! Pass me the f–king ball,'” Green said of Durant’s actions at the end of that game. “I’m like, ‘Get the f–k outta here. F–king run then.’ And he’s like, ‘You heard what the f–k I said’ and slaps the chair: ‘Pass me the f–king ball.’ I’m like, ‘Yo, you better calm the f–k down. I don’t know who the f–k you think you’re talking to.’
“Remember, I got the pulse of this team. I got the pulse of the organization. I already know you one foot in and one foot out. … I’ve been an All-Star before you got here. I’ve been doing this. Don’t talk to me like I’m one of these little dudes that don’t know how to hoop. I’m a grown a– man.'”
Green went on to describe the aftermath of that incident, which saw head coach Steve Kerr and GM Bob Myers ask him to apologize for his blow-up and then suspend him for a game when he wasn’t initially willing to do so. While Durant has suggested that the confrontation played a part in his departure from the Warriors, Green rejected the idea that he pushed KD out the door.
“This is f–king Kevin Durant we’re talking about,” Green said, per Shiller. “Yeah, I’ve done great things here. But let me tell you this — if Kevin really wanted to be here, all he would have done is went to Bob and said, ‘Yeah, I’ll stay. But Draymond gotta go.’ And guess what — Bob Myers would have called me and said, ‘Draymond, I love you — and I won’t trade you to a bad team — but where do you want to go?’ … You’re f–king Kevin Durant. If you wanted to be here, I would have been out. I would have been long gone.”
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Dan Feldman of NBC Sports passed along some additional choice quotes from Green’s appearance on “All The Smoke,” including the former Defensive Player of the Year’s suggestion that Durant was upset by the perception that LeBron James was still the NBA’s best player following the 2017 Finals. “You turn on the TV the next day, and the f–king headline is ‘LeBron James still the best player in the world, question mark,'” Green said. “You’ve got Stephen A. (Smith), you’ve got all these people debating it. And everybody still said LeBron James is the best player in the world. That’s when I kind of felt like it took a turn. And then we came back (for the) 2017/2018 season, and Kevin just wasn’t as happy.”
- Anthony Slater and John Hollinger of The Athletic explored the Warriors’ future outlook, with Hollinger noting it would be surprising if Golden State isn’t willing to spend whatever it takes to add talent to the roster going forward, since the team essentially made that decision when it acquired D’Angelo Russell in last summer’s Durant sign-and-trade. Hollinger also suggests that using the “Russell strategy” – acquiring a player and being willing to trade him later – might make sense for the Warriors’ 2020 lottery pick if no appealing deals are available in the offseason, since more trade options could surface at the 2021 deadline.
- In a separate piece for The Athletic, Slater explores the similarities between Stephen Curry‘s below-market value with the Warriors from 2013-17 and Scottie Pippen‘s bargain deal with the Bulls during their 1990s dynasty.
I’m not understanding all the talk about Scottie Pippen’s contract in the 90s. He chose long-term security versus a short-term deal. Nothing wrong with that choice, but you possibly give up money later. But if you get hurt in year two you’ll still get paid years 3 through 8. That’s the choice.
Who knew the league would grow Leaps and Bounds during those years and salaries would triple? But the Bulls did him right late by giving him 10 million dollars for playing six games in two years of 03-04.
Durant left because he wants to prove he can win without help of being on a great team. He wants to be the lone man for winning a title not sharing it with others help. This is because the media and OKC fans calling him a cupcake joining a championship team. Durant is a great player and can take over a game.
So he goes and teams up with Kyrie?
tedtheodorelogan Teaming up with Kyrie is a different situation. That Nets team is KD’s now. He’s their top player. Kyrie is a #2 on a championship team not the top guy. There’s no debate about if he’s the best player on his own team or not like ‘Curry Vs KD’. That Warriors team was never gonna be his.
Curry, Klay, and Green were already there winning together before he got there. KD seems like an insecure guy, doesn’t block out negative outside noise very well.
Even a rocket fan will tell you Houston will always be Harden’s team even with Westbrook there.
Kyrie is always the bridesmaid even when he hit the winning shot to give the cavs a championship. It was Lebron’s team and Kyrie was just another player. Without Kyrie Cavs don’t win the championship but they will always be known as LeBron’s team.
warriors will always be known as Curry’s team even with KD on it. Now KD has a team where he is the team top player.
Couldn’t do it with harden and westbrook.
Frankly KD sounds like a self absorbed crybaby. Have to keep in mind this is Draymond, not KD talking, so who knows what the reality is.
Yeah I don’t really believe Dray all the time but Durant already proved himself to be a crybaby way before that dispute even happened. He even fights with fans on twitter when they hurt his feelings with simple fact-based statements.
The words I’d used to describe Durant aren’t allowed here so I’ll leave it at that. No disputing he’s one of the best players ever but man is he pathetic as a person.
If Draymond says it, you can take it to the bank.
Gotta love Draymond Green. At least someone had the balls to put KD in his place.
And he ran him off in the process. Smooth move. And was Green talking about Klay and Steph with his “don’t talk to me like I’m one of these little dudes” comment? Wouldn’t be surprised.
Matt Barnes, Stephen Jackson and Draymond Green: the three biggest pieces of garbage together in league history.
Not wrong, but I enjoyed getting a chunk of truth.
I like the smooth creamy truth as well.