Kevin Durant hears the talk and is tired of outsiders trying to separate him and Warriors.
Amid ‘noise,’ team’s stars emphasize togetherness
Warriors forward Kevin Durant furrowed his brow, leaned forward in his chair and stared down the reporter who had just asked for Durant’s thoughts on “their play” in his absence.
“Our play,” Durant said, referencing Golden State.
That brief exchange Friday afternoon, early in Durant’s first media availability in twoplus weeks, illuminated one of his biggest grievances: Nearly three years into his Warriors tenure, many outside the organization still consider Durant a separate entity from Golden State. Some simple, common phrasing — “the Warriors and Durant” — represents to him a subtle way of dividing the team.
Durant refuses to say whether he intends to re-sign with Golden State this summer, but he wants desperately to be part of the franchise’s fabric. This might be a losing proposition. Thanks to the success the Warriors enjoyed before Durant’s arrival in July 2016 (two Finals, one title, a
league-record 73-win season), for years to come he can expect to be considered more a luxury than an essential piece.
That much has been glaring in recent weeks. With Durant sidelined by a strained right calf, the Warriors have gone 5-0 to finish off the Rockets in the second round and sweep the Trail Blazers in the Western Conference finals. Now, with Durant yet to begin oncourt work and unlikely to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday, some want to know: Does Golden State need Durant to beat Toronto or Milwaukee in a bestof-seven series?
This is an academic debate that won’t yield a concrete answer, but the fact that it even exists speaks to a dynamic that could factor into Durant’s free-agency decision. His desire to be considered the best player of his generation has been well-chronicled. Cementing his name above LeBron James’ might require Durant to join a team more dependent on his greatness.
As his latest rash of socialmedia jabs at his critics underscored, Durant cares about what others think. This might be part of the reason why Warriors head coach Steve Kerr and Golden State guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have gone out of their way recently to tout him as the best player in the world. They believe that Durant’s return could be critical to the Warriors’ chase for a third straight championship, but they also recognize that it doesn’t hurt for Durant to feel needed.
Because he couldn’t travel with the team to Houston for Game 6 of the second-round series or to Portland for Games 3 and 4 of the West finals, Durant watched those matchups on TV from his Bay Area home. What he heard was relentless chatter about how much the Warriors are thriving without him. Although Durant is happy to see his teammates succeed, he doesn’t appreciate the implication that he holds back Curry, Thompson, Draymond Green and others.
“I turn on the TV, all you hear is the noise,” Durant said. “As a player, I think about that. I’m just like, ‘It’s just not true.’ That’s not facts when it comes to a basketball perspective.”
But it is true that, with Durant averaging 34.2 points on 51.3% shooting (41.6% from 3-point range) over their first 11 playoff games, the Warriors went 7-4. Since Durant injured his right calf in Game 5 of the second round May 8, Golden State has gone undefeated as it rode the improved play of Curry, Thompson, Green and a number of role players.
Whether this is situational or a sign of the Warriors being better without Durant doesn’t matter. When faced with the daunting defense of Toronto or Milwaukee, Golden State could benefit from Durant’s ability to score. It could also use his length and defensive versatility against the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo or Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard.
In coming days, Durant will try to ramp up his rehab as his teammates continue to guard against any narratives that threaten to divide the locker room. Asked Friday about media efforts to separate Durant from the group, Curry launched into an impassioned monologue about team unity, one he surely knew would make it to Durant’s Twitter feed.
“I feel like for the last three years, everybody has taken their shots at trying to nitpick or break us down or drive a wedge in our team chemistry and togetherness,” Curry said. “This year, it’s been amplified even more with (Durant’s) free-agency stuff. Nobody can say anything without it getting scrutinized or criticized. …
“We’re a great team because everybody who puts on a uniform goes out and competes at a high level. We look out for each other. There’s a little bit of sacrifice, and it’s about winning. No matter who’s on the floor, that’s what we’re about.
“So that question before about when (Kevin) gets back, are we going to be able to transition? Yeah, because we have that experience and capability to do so. At the end of the day, we’re one group until we’re not.”
Those final six words — “we’re one group until we’re not” — were telling. Durant’s teammates don’t know if he’ll be back next season, but they’re intent on winning another championship before they find out.
This requires being the Warriors, not the Warriors and Durant.
“It’s been that way since I got here, ‘the Warriors and KD,’ ” Durant said. “I understand that, and I felt like my teammates, the organization, know exactly what I’ve done here on and off the court to become a part of this culture, kind of stamp my flag in this culture and this organization.” Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@sfchronicle. com Twitter: @Con_Chron